Objects/Simin
Portrait detail of the Azure Gaiwan

Simin · Teaware

AzureGaiwan

A moment for tea

A 100 ml porcelain gaiwan by Simin, finished with a plant ash glaze.

Artist
Simin
Capacity
100 ml
Material
Porcelain
Glaze
Plant ash
100 ml$1,000
1

Care

Clean by boiling in water only. Place the teapot in a pot of water and begin on low heat, allowing it to warm gradually before bringing the water to a gentle boil. Let it cool gradually afterwards. Avoid sudden temperature changes, which can cause thermal shock and cracking.

The only one

Only one Azure Gaiwan has been made, and it will not be replenished. You will receive the exact piece shown in the photographs. Once sold, it will no longer be available.

Tea pairings
Azure Gaiwan tea pairingsAll fourteen tea styles are highly recommended, with five filled circles: light Anxi, Taiwanese high mountain, Phoenix Dan Cong, Wuyi rock, roasted Anxi, roasted Taiwanese, highly oxidised and aged oolongs; red tea, dark tea, raw puerh, white tea, green tea and yellow tea.TEA PAIRING GUIDEPAIRING / 5Light Anxi oolongTie Guan Yin, Huang Jin GuiHighly recommendedTaiwanese high mountain oolongAli Shan, Shan Lin Xi, Li ShanHighly recommendedPhoenix Dan Cong oolongMi Lan Xiang, Ya Shi XiangHighly recommendedWuyi rock oolong / yanchaDa Hong Pao, Shui Xian, Rou GuiHighly recommendedRoasted Anxi oolongTraditional roasted Tie Guan YinHighly recommendedRoasted Taiwanese oolongDong Ding, Muzha Tie Guan YinHighly recommendedHighly oxidised oolongOriental Beauty, Taiwanese red oolongHighly recommendedAged oolongAged Dong Ding, aged Tie Guan YinHighly recommendedRed teaDian Hong, Keemun, Zheng Shan Xiao ZhongHighly recommendedDark / post fermented teaRipe puerh, Liu Bao, Fu brick teaHighly recommendedRaw puerh: young or agedSheng puerhHighly recommendedWhite tea: fresh or agedSilver Needle, Bai Mu Dan, Shou MeiHighly recommendedGreen teaLong Jing, Bi Luo Chun, SenchaHighly recommendedYellow teaJun Shan Yin Zhen, Meng Ding Huang YaHighly recommendedFive circles: highly recommended.

Highly recommended

We highly recommend the Azure Gaiwan for every tea style shown here. Each receives five out of five in our pairing guide.

Across the oolong family

Explore light Anxi and Taiwanese high mountain oolongs, fragrant Phoenix Dan Cong, Wuyi rock tea, roasted Anxi and Taiwanese styles, highly oxidised oolong and aged oolong.

Red, dark & puerh teas

Red tea, dark and post fermented tea, and both young and aged raw puerh are all highly recommended. Examples include Dian Hong, Keemun, ripe puerh, Liu Bao and sheng puerh.

White, green & yellow teas

Fresh and aged white tea, green tea and yellow tea are equally welcome in this gaiwan. Adjust the amount of leaf, water temperature and infusion time to the tea you are brewing.

The object
Close view of the Azure Gaiwan plant ash glaze

Simin & her practice

Based in Jingdezhen, Simin has been making teaware since graduating from Jingdezhen Ceramic University in 2013. Her practice centres on plant ash glazes, developed through years of observation, experimentation and close attention to the relationship between material and firing.

Plant ash & the firing

For Simin, glaze records an encounter between ash, minerals, heat and time. She works with the variations that emerge in the kiln, allowing each firing to contribute to the character of the finished vessel. The Azure Gaiwan brings this approach to a 100 ml porcelain form finished with a plant ash glaze.

Form, glaze & use

Her early experiments drew on changes in nature, from foliage and light to growth and decay. Over time, her attention shifted towards how form, glaze and use work together. The result is a practice guided by harmony, restraint and the experience of using an object in daily life.

A continuing tradition

Simin draws inspiration from historical kiln traditions, including Jun and Yaozhou, while exploring them through contemporary experimentation. Across her work, layered colours and subtle shifts in the glaze connect this ceramic heritage with her own observations of nature and material.

Recommended teas

Meet the maker · Simin
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