Several good books related to Jianzhan are:
"The Chawan" introduces the highest-end tea utensils in Japanese museums, including three Jianzhan designated as national treasures, as well as tea utensils produced by various kilns in the Song Dynasty of China. The book is exquisitely printed and is a must-have for collectors.
Information related to Jianzhan is hard to come by, just like finding a good Jianzhan.
It is not difficult to understand. After all, Jianzhan was lost in China for nearly a thousand years.
During these thousand years, everything has been changing.
"The Chawan": Collected by Famous Art Museums; 4,000 Japanese Yen.
"Tenmoku": Written by Choko Nishida and Satoshi Sato; 3,600 Japanese Yen.
"The Beauty of Tea Ceramics" (Tang Dynasty artifacts); 3,800 Japanese Yen.
These two books are widely introducing tea utensils, and of course, Jianzhan is also a preferred item.
These books on Jianzhan are all from Japan, and it is not easy to find them. They can only be purchased at specialized bookstores.
"Tenmoku" by Choko Nishida and "The Beauty of Tea Ceramics"
"Tang Dynasty Tea Bowls" (World of Tea Utensils) by Yoshiaki Yabe, published by Tankosha; 1,429 Japanese Yen.
"Introduction to Jianzhan Appreciation" by Naoki Idekawa, published by Shinchosha; 1,600 Japanese Yen.
"Tang Dynasty Tea Bowls" and "Introduction to Jianzhan Appreciation"
There are very few books on Jianzhan in China, such as "Identification and Appreciation of Jian Kiln Porcelain" by Professor Wencheng Ye from Xiamen University, which mainly focuses on the history of Jian kiln and some appreciation knowledge of excavated antique Jianzhan. There is not much description of the handed-down Jianzhan.
There is also Mr. Daohua Xie's "Jian Kiln and Jianzhan".
"The Rising Black Porcelain Civilization - Jianzhan" written by members of the Jianzhan Compilation Committee.
In the view of modern Jianzhan makers, they can be roughly divided into two categories:
The first category is ceramic artisans who use unearthed Jianzhan as their models. They are mostly local residents around the site of Jian kiln. Since the restoration of Jian kiln research in the 1980s, they have started to learn how to make Jianzhan. Their works are simple and rustic, mostly featuring hare's fur and oil droplets.
The second category consists of several Jian kiln masters who graduated from professional colleges and were tasked by the state to restore the research of Jian kiln.
They mainly use handed-down fine Jianzhan as their models and are dedicated to mastering the making of Jianzhan with the "Yaobian" effect. Their works have reached the highest international level and have been collected by the State Council's Ziguangge Collection, the permanent collection of the Palace Museum, and foreign museums. They have also won numerous international awards.
Objects have feelings, warmth without sound; when playing with Jianzhan, prioritize interest and never forget the original intention!
