Mulberry-leaf tea bowl: a passport to the world of Zen
Important Cultural Property TEA BOWL, {{Tenmoku}} glaze with leaf design Southern Song dynasty 12th-13th century Kiln/ Jizhou ware (gift of SUMITOMO Group, the ATAKA Collection) Photo：六田知弘
This tea bowl has a novel design, called “Konoha Tenmoku” in Japanese, that makes it look as if a leaf has fallen into it. In fact, a real leaf is baked into the glaze on inner wall of the bowl. A closer inspection reveals that it is a withered mulberry leaf that has been partially eaten by insects. A poem by Chen Yuyi (1098-1138), a Song dynasty poet, contains a verse translating “mulberry leaves are associated with the idea of Zen.” As this suggests, leaf decorations had close ties with Zen. This piece has been passed down in the Maeda Family, who headed the Kaga Domain in feudal Japan. It is famed as a masterpiece among the extant Konoha Tenmoku tea bowls.
| Items | Details |
|---|---|
| The Power of Osaka | The Power of Art |
| Storage Facilities | The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka |
| Category | High resolution |
