Artist Profile: Teng Xiaogui (滕小贵)

Master Teng Xiaogui is a skilled ceramicist specializing in traditional Jian Zhan teaware, a heritage craft once reserved for Song Dynasty imperial use. His work revives the ancient techniques of Jianyang kilns, known for their distinctive iron-rich glazes, layered textures, and mesmerizing glaze patterns.

A particular style, titled “曜变七彩孔雀” (Yaobian Peacock in Seven Colors), was crafted using original ore zisha clay (原矿釉), fired at high temperatures to achieve its vivid transformation effect. The name references the “yao bian” (曜变) glaze style, a rare and highly prized phenomenon in Jian ware that results in multicolored, iridescent patterns resembling peacock feathers.

A hallmark of authentic Jian ware, this cup was shaped on a traditional potter’s wheel, with its inner wall and base carefully thickened for strength, and its outer wall made thin to preserve elegance. The unique tear-shaped glaze streaks (often called “hare’s fur” or “oil spot”) are a natural result of the high-temperature reduction firing, creating unpredictable and poetic surface effects.

Master Teng’s studio, located in Jianyang, Fujian Province, operates under the name Nanping Sanhe Jian Zhan Research Institute (南平市叁和建盏研究所), known for upholding high standards in craftsmanship and material safety, as reflected in the enclosed official testing report.

Collectors value pieces like this for both their technical excellence and deep cultural resonance. Suitable for tea ceremonies, especially with Puer or Oolong, the thick clay body retains heat while the interior microcrystals enhance tea aroma and flavor.