Bizen, shino & other teaware appreciation anyone?

[hobin]

I don't know much either . I simply love japanese ceramics and try to collect infos. unfortunately the bulk of it is in japanese (with a few good books in english) and google translator is just unreliable to say the least...

[hobin]

this is a good link to start with

http://j-tradition.com/en/bizen/history/revival.html

[chrl42]

this is a good link to start with

http://j-tradition.com/en/bizen/history/revival.html

Thanks!

[Tead Off]

three bizen tebineri houhin by nishimura shunko (1886-1953), one of the fathers of bizen renaissance at the beginning of 20th century...

That first shiboridashi is amazing.

[hobin]

two other interesting articles on bizenyaki

http://j-tradition.com/en/bizen/history/king.html
http://j-tradition.com/en/bizen/history/origin.html

This part sums up the essence of bizen:

In contrast, the colors of Bizen ware are anything but vivid. It competes by using only the hues of the clay itself without utilizing any materials to add coloring. That austerity and bare-bones approach is considered “the beauty of Bizen ware” [...]
In Japanese, there is a word, “wabi-sabi”. Wabi contains the meaning of “sadness, sorrow”, and can be taken to mean “simplicity”. Bizen ware, upon inspection, has no vivid colors and is the very image of simplicity, which is why it never becomes the center of attention in tea ceremonies.
Bizen ware is meant to play nothing more than a side role; it exists to enhance the natural quality of the tea, and in that sense we can say that it coincides with the spirit of wabi.
The word “sabi”, has the nuance of “imperfect beauty” — the idea that an imperfect state has greater appeal than a state in which everything is in order.

[William]

Wabi contains the meaning of “sadness, sorrow”, and can be taken to mean “simplicity”

Actually this is a common mistake. The original meaning of wabi (initially written as ワビ) was "according to my own sense of beauty/aesthetics/appreciation point of view".
This word has been created (or much more probably imported from Korea) during the second half of the 15th century, as a way to justify the use of utensils of not exact size (the size of the various utensils was of fundamental importance in order to perform gokushin-no-chanoyu 極眞之茶湯), made locally, i.e. in Japan, instead of the expensive and sought after ones traded from China, especially after the 1560s/1570s, when the trade with China stopped.

[hobin]

Wabi contains the meaning of “sadness, sorrow”, and can be taken to mean “simplicity”

Actually this is a common mistake. The original meaning of wabi (initially written as ワビ) was "according to my own sense of beauty/aesthetics/appreciation point of view".
This word has been created (or much more probably imported from Korea) during the second half of the 15th century, as a way to justify the use of utensils of not exact size (the size of the various utensils was of fundamental importance in order to perform gokushin-no-chanoyu 極眞之茶湯), made locally, i.e. in Japan, instead of the expensive and sought after ones traded from China, especially after the 1560s/1570s, when the trade with China stopped.

Yes, you're right! the definition in the article was in fact a sort of simplification/trivialization of the original meaning...
btw. have you read "The Unknown Craftsman" which collects essays by Soetsu Yanagi? Really interesting read

[William]

have you read "The Unknown Craftsman" which collects essays by Soetsu Yanagi? Really interesting read

Never read. Do you have any link?

[hobin]

here's an essay from the book:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B83W7y ... &cindex=22#

and some links about it
https://artevident.wordpress.com/2014/0 ... -ordinary/

http://dawan-chawan-chassabal.blogspot. ... n-ido.html

http://teamasters.blogspot.it/2008/08/u ... tsman.html

[William]

here's an essay from the book:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B83W7y ... &cindex=22#

and some links about it
https://artevident.wordpress.com/2014/0 ... -ordinary/

http://dawan-chawan-chassabal.blogspot. ... n-ido.html

http://teamasters.blogspot.it/2008/08/u ... tsman.html

Thanks for the tip, Hobin. Will buy a copy of this book, that essay convinced me!

[debunix]

This part sums up the essence of bizen:

"In contrast, the colors of Bizen ware are anything but vivid.” [...]

Earth tones, sure, but plenty vivid!

[PolyhymnianMuse]

This part sums up the essence of bizen:

"In contrast, the colors of Bizen ware are anything but vivid.” [...]

Earth tones, sure, but plenty vivid!

Where did you get such a beautiful cup?

[chrl42]

Wabi contains the meaning of “sadness, sorrow”, and can be taken to mean “simplicity”

Actually this is a common mistake. The original meaning of wabi (initially written as ワビ) was "according to my own sense of beauty/aesthetics/appreciation point of view".
This word has been created (or much more probably imported from Korea) during the second half of the 15th century, as a way to justify the use of utensils of not exact size (the size of the various utensils was of fundamental importance in order to perform gokushin-no-chanoyu 極眞之茶湯), made locally, i.e. in Japan, instead of the expensive and sought after ones traded from China, especially after the 1560s/1570s, when the trade with China stopped.

I really know little about Japanese history,

It's been said two of Chawan that affected the most of Japanese ceremony is Jian ware of Song China...Jian ware of Fujian province, its base clay is known to contain a high amount of iron and was fired at the highest temperature during that time..this ware was worshipped by tea elites for sure and often used for 'tea competition'...later it went to Japan and became Tenmoku Chawan

Another is Ido Chawan from Chosun Korea..this ware, however, was a normal bowl used by everyday living..natural and simple in beauty at best as you can imagine..Bizen ware seems to have both characteristics of 2 wares...iron-rich base clay with a natural, pleasing sense that comforts my peasant's eyes

[Tead Off]

Ido chawan were originally soup bowls. The enormous influence they had on Japanese ceramics is evident even today. Some of the greatest Korean chawan are given great places of honor in museums and collections in Japan. Big, oversized, and rustic looking, made by potters who were making practical everyday pottery.

[William]

Ido chawan were originally soup bowls. The enormous influence they had on Japanese ceramics is evident even today. Some of the greatest Korean chawan are given great places of honor in museums and collections in Japan. Big, oversized, and rustic looking, made by potters who were making practical everyday pottery.

The influence of Korea (on pottery and tea ceremonies) can't be delimited to mere tea bowls ..