Vintage Flora Urushi Master Tasting Cup 70ml

Vintage Flora Urushi Master Tasting Cup 70ml

The Vintage Flora Urushi Master Tasting Cup 70ml is a celebration of memory, living craftsmanship, and the quiet beauty of time. Finished in Da Qi (大漆) — natural Urushi lacquer harvested from the sap of Toxicodendron vernicifluum, a tradition unbroken for centuries — this handcrafted Zhurenbei host cup carries one of our most intricate lacquer expressions. Layers of deep green, dark red, and creamy rice-white mineral pigments are suspended in pure tree sap, evoking pressed botanicals, antique oil paintings, and treasured heirlooms passed carefully between generations.

Complex, nostalgic, and endlessly rewarding to hold, the Vintage Flora Urushi surface reveals new details with every use. As light moves across its depth, living lacquer creates visual movement that no synthetic coating can replicate — inviting quiet contemplation long after the tea has been poured.

A Garden Frozen in Time

The Vintage Flora colorway draws inspiration from dried flower arrangements pressed in old journals and the soft, honey-warm patina of paintings discovered in a collector's private study. Rich botanical tones of forest green, antique crimson, and luminous rice-white intertwine across the Urushi surface, creating a composition that feels both timeless and deeply personal.

Because every pigment is hand-suspended in raw Da Qi sap before application, and because each layer is cured in a controlled high-humidity environment for a minimum of 24 hours before the next is added, no two cups carry the same arrangement of color, texture, or botanical movement. What you receive is not a reproduced pattern — it is a singular painting in lacquer.

What Is Da Qi Urushi?

Da Qi (大漆), known internationally as Urushi, is the refined sap of the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree. Harvested by hand through small incisions in the bark — each tree yielding only a few teaspoons per season — raw Da Qi is one of the most ancient and demanding craft materials in East Asian history. When layered with mineral pigments and cured in a climate-controlled environment over weeks, it produces a surface of extraordinary depth, warmth, and durability that no synthetic lacquer or resin can replicate.

Unlike industrial finishes, Da Qi Urushi is not applied in a single coat. Each layer rests, cures, and bonds to the porcelain on its own terms, resulting in a surface that is chemically alive — one that will continue to evolve, deepen, and respond to its owner across years of use.

"Not preserved. Not frozen. Grown — botanical layer by botanical layer, through weeks of patient hands and living lacquer."

The Zhangxiu Technique

The Vintage Flora surface is created using the traditional Zhangxiu (彰髹 — polishing to reveal) technique, one of the most demanding methods within the broader East Asian Urushi tradition. Rather than painting colors directly onto the cup, the artisan applies multiple alternating layers of raw Da Qi sap and finely ground mineral pigments — each layer cured for a minimum of 24 hours in a high-humidity chamber before the next is added.

Once the full body of layers has cured, the surface is meticulously hand-polished using progressively finer abrasives. This gradual grinding process reveals the hidden pigment strata beneath, allowing colors to emerge, blend, and interact with organic depth that cannot be planned or replicated exactly — only discovered, layer by layer, through weeks of careful hands.

The Master's Vessel — Zhurenbei

In traditional Gongfu tea culture, the Zhurenbei (主人杯) — the master tasting cup — is the host's most personal object at the tea table. Distinct from the cups offered to guests, it is chosen to reflect the personality, philosophy, and evolving tea journey of its owner. It is the vessel that sees every session, holds every mood, and accumulates every small ritual over the years.

The Vintage Flora Urushi Master Tasting Cup is crafted precisely for this role. Its 70ml capacity, drawn from a fine Jingdezhen porcelain body of exceptional thinness, provides ample space for appreciating aroma, texture, and flavor while preserving the intimacy that defines true Gongfu practice.

Refined Jingdezhen Porcelain Form

The cup body is thrown from fine Jingdezhen porcelain — chosen for its exceptional whiteness, translucency, and neutral character, which allow the Da Qi Urushi surface to be applied without interference and to speak entirely for itself. Crafted with a deliberately thin wall, the cup feels elegant and responsive in the hand. The gently flared rim rests naturally against the lips, enhancing both comfort and the delivery of the tea's aroma and texture in the moment of drinking.

Designed for Focused Tea Appreciation

Balanced proportions allow the Zhurenbei to sit comfortably in the palm, encouraging a slower, more attentive drinking pace. Whether hosting guests across a full Gongfu session or sitting alone with a single carefully brewed infusion, the cup becomes a natural extension of the ritual — present without demanding attention, intimate without being precious.

One Object, One Nature

Following the philosophy of Wu Wo He Yi (Unity of Object and Self), the Vintage Flora Urushi Master Tasting Cup is designed not as a static object but as a companion that deepens through use. This is the defining promise of authentic Da Qi Urushi: the surface is alive, and it will grow alongside its owner.

Through daily handling and years of tea ritual, the Da Qi Urushi surface will undergo its own quiet transformation. The botanical greens will gain a gentle luminosity, growing more translucent with time. The antique reds will deepen toward rich burgundy. The creamy rice-white tones will warm into a soft, luminous ivory. Natural oils from the hands contribute to this process, slowly enriching the lacquer from within — not damaging it, but fulfilling it.

Every tea session leaves a subtle trace. Over time, the cup becomes a record of your practice — shaped by time, touch, and ritual into an object that belongs fully and only to you.

Specifications

• Product: Vintage Flora Urushi Master Tasting Cup
• Dimension: 51H x 67W mm / 2.01H x 2.64W inch
• Volume: 70ml / 2.37oz
• Material: Fine Jingdezhen porcelain with natural Zhangxiu Da Qi Urushi lacquer and mineral pigment finish
• Type: Gongfu master tasting cup / Zhurenbei / host cup
• Technique: Traditional Zhangxiu (polishing to reveal) with raw Da Qi Urushi sap, cured in high-humidity environment
• Use: Gongfu tea hosting, personal tea appreciation, solo brewing, and mindful tea rituals
• Finish: Vintage Flora Urushi colorway — deep botanical green, antique crimson, and luminous rice-white
• Care: Hand wash recommended. Avoid abrasive cleaners, prolonged soaking, and extreme temperature changes. The evolving surface is a feature of authentic Da Qi Urushi — not a flaw.
• Uniqueness: Every piece is individually handcrafted using raw Da Qi Urushi sap and traditional Zhangxiu polishing techniques. No two cups are exactly identical. The living lacquer surface will continue to evolve and deepen through years of use.