Beyond lacquer

Zhang is among more than 20 young artists who have brought their innovative tea-related works ranging from porcelain painting to tea making, proving a feast for the eye at the Teanage Life Fest.

The artists arrive from across the country, including Fujian, Jiangxi, Jiangsu and Yunnan provinces, said Li Qianrun, who founded the festival.

As a tea lover, Li has gone to major tea and teaware production areas, finding many surprises among the younger generation of artists.

"They love traditional Chinese culture and have good taste in Chinese aesthetics," Li said.

"Many have made a career out of tea and teaware and have integrated tea into urban life," she noted.

Li hosts the festival because she believes there should be more room, especially in urban settings, for tea culture.

She found and invited the young artists to show the more exciting aspects of tea. Xu Zhiwen is one such artist.

At Xu's booth, porcelain ware bearing anthropomorphic pandas cooking tea, and playing mahjong or instruments, as well as rabbits wearing a silk robe resembling figures on the murals in the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu, have attracted curious visitors.

"I insist on combining modern and ancient elements, rendering lovely animals with a human touch to reach young customers," Xu, in his 30s from Jingdezhen, East China's Jiangxi province, said.

Most of his works carry auspicious Chinese symbols that represent good fortune.

Xu has brought in products of a dozen themes, including the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"My style is mostly inspired by the scholarly elegance of the Song Dynasty (960-1279)," Xu said.

He achieved a bachelor's degree in sculpture from Jingdezhen Ceramic University in 2013, which he said gave him a good understanding of form and structure, laying the foundation for his porcelain painting.

He made inroads in traditional Chinese porcelain painting over two years following graduation to acquire the necessary skills and started his own business in 2019, which combines traditional Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) porcelain-making techniques with modern concepts that target a younger market for ceramic tea sets.

"I am fascinated by ancient styles but don't aim to create replicas," Xu explained his drive to create modern elements in a historical setting.

His love of tea has focused his attention on design and making tea utensils.

Xu uses gas and wood-fired kilns to craft porcelain that bears a smoother texture resembling that of Xuan paper originating from ancient China, which is known for its excellent presentation of both Chinese calligraphy and painting.

"The materials I use undergo a unique process where pine wood is added midway to produce ink-like textures. Then I create artwork based on these natural textures," he said, adding that since natural ash would fall onto the surface differently during each fire session, each piece is one of a kind.

Under a magnifying glass, one can see the fine details, such as the feathers on a crane's wings, of Xu's hand-painted patterns.

He has two other business partners and can produce around 200-300 pieces each month.

"I hope that when people use my products, they feel joy and happiness, adding to the pleasure of tea drinking," he said.