[清本源 x Gohobi Gallery] Thin-Body Red Glazed Blue-and-White Three Fish Cup with Inner Sea Imprint (65ml)

This thin-body porcelain tea cup is a quiet yet powerful expression of depth, symbolism, and refined restraint, where minimalist form conceals a richly layered inner world.

Within the porcelain body, the artisan delicately engraves flowing sea-wave patterns using a needle-fine inner-imprinting technique. Hidden beneath the red glaze, the waves remain concealed until tea is poured. As the tea liquor settles and moves, the sea pattern gradually emerges, appearing as though blue-green waves are breaking through the glaze itself. This transformation turns each tea session into an interactive ritual—an invitation to explore a hidden ocean, where drinking tea becomes an act of discovery.

On the exterior, three blue-and-white mandarin fish are hand-painted using the traditional “fen shui qinghua” technique, where varying densities of cobalt pigment create depth, movement, and vitality. The fish appear lively and fluid, their forms animated by the rhythm of the brush. In Chinese culture, “fish” symbolises abundance, and the pronunciation of mandarin fish echoes the word for nobility and honour. The trio of fish together forms a visual blessing of “wealth, honour, and surplus,” allowing the vessel to quietly carry auspicious meaning into everyday life.

The cup is crafted to an exceptional thin-body standard, where the porcelain reaches millimetre-level fineness while remaining resilient and stable in the hand. Light passes gently through the body, revealing a fine, silk-like porcelain structure beneath the glaze. This balance of lightness, strength, and tactility is the result of a contemporary continuation of traditional thin-body porcelain mastery—an achievement felt the moment the cup is lifted.

The red glaze itself is the result of a faithful revival of classical red-glaze firing techniques. From the careful preparation of glaze materials to precise kiln control, the firing follows time-honoured methods. The final surface appears warm and lustrous, with layered tonal depth that shifts subtly under light, as if the colour itself were alive—an expression of kiln fire and human intention moving in harmony.

The form of the cup draws from classical tea vessel silhouettes, with a gently flared rim to receive the tea and a softly gathered base that rests naturally in the palm. The dialogue between red glaze and blue-and-white painting, and between hidden sea waves and visible fish, reflects Gohobi’s philosophy of traditional renewal. This is not a reproduction of the past, but a reawakening—where historical structure becomes the foundation for contemporary expression.

Diameter: 6.3 cm
Height: 3.8 cm
Capacity: 65 ml

The listed price is for one cup. Each piece is individually handcrafted and hand-painted, and natural variations in glaze, painting, and inner imprint are part of its unique character. Customers are welcome to request a private video viewing for a closer look. Orders are shipped using reused or recycled packaging wherever possible.

A tea cup where restraint conceals abundance—minimal in form, profound in meaning, and designed to be discovered slowly, sip by sip.