Dingfu Teacup | Special Gold-Inlaid Edition | 85 ml

The Dao De Jing tells us, “A great vessel takes time to complete.” In Chinese tradition, the ding is an enduring embodiment of such a vessel.

Since the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, the ding has served as a cooking vessel, a ritual vessel and a vessel of inheritance. It held ceremonial offerings, represented the stability of a state, and carried hopes for a family's prosperity and lasting good fortune. Expressions linking the ding with noble households and sovereign ambition reflect its place as a symbol of dignity, stability and blessing.

The Dingfu Cup inherits both its form and its meaning. Zhuni clay glows with the warmth of rosy clouds, while its 85 ml capacity invites the measured pleasure of traditional tea drinking. Tea is savoured for its flavour, not its quantity; life, for its blessings, not its grandeur.

Held in the hand, it has the presence of a ding upon a table. Within it rest not only tea, but enduring wishes for peace, abundance and continuity.