[清本源 x Gohobi Gallery] Thin-Body Inner-Imprinted Makara Dragon Fish Cup with Micro-Calligraphy Heart Sutra – “Full of Joy” Inscription (120ml)

This thin-body porcelain tea cup is a vessel where craftsmanship, spiritual reflection, and emotional warmth coexist in quiet harmony, embodying Gohobi’s pursuit of returning to origins through renewal.

Inside the cup, the Makara dragon fish is an innovative reinterpretation of auspicious motifs found in ancient Chinese ceramics. Using a heritage inner-imprinting technique, the artisan meticulously carves the form directly into the clay body, allowing the mythical creature to appear subtly beneath the glaze. When tea is poured, the liquid begins to move, and the dragon fish seems to emerge from a hidden ocean into the cup itself, carrying with it an ancient blessing of peace, protection, and smooth passage through life. The imagery is never overt, revealing itself gradually through use, inviting quiet contemplation with every sip.

Encircling the exterior, the micro-calligraphy of the Heart Sutra is executed with millimetre-fine brushwork, each character written with controlled breath and complete stillness. This is not merely decoration, but a form of disciplined practice, translating the philosophical depth of the Heart Sutra onto porcelain. Rendered in blue-and-white, the calligraphy preserves the vitality of brush strokes while resting gently against the luminous white body of the cup. As the warmth of the tea meets the calm presence of the text, the cup becomes a daily expression of “tea and Zen as one,” weaving mindfulness seamlessly into ordinary moments.

At the base, the inscription “Man Xin Huan Xi,” meaning wholehearted joy, serves as a gentle and human conclusion to the vessel’s narrative. Beyond technical mastery and cultural depth, this mark grounds the cup in lived experience. It is intended as an emotional anchor—when its beauty gives pause, its craftsmanship invites admiration, and its quiet symbolism brings calm, the resulting sense of contentment is the true meaning of “joy filling the heart.” This inscription is a silent wish from the maker to the user, hoping that every moment spent holding and drinking from the cup brings sweetness back into daily life.

The thin-body construction is central to this piece. Rather than a display of technical bravado, it represents an exploration of porcelain’s natural lightness. Through repeated refinement of clay composition and firing conditions, the body is pushed toward an extreme of delicacy—thin as a cicada’s wing, light as drifting cloud. In the hand, the porcelain responds softly to warmth, creating a subtle resonance between vessel and palm, preserving the sensation of air captured within the clay. This approach honours traditional thin-body porcelain while offering a contemporary interpretation of lightness and restraint.

Diameter: 8.5 cm
Height: 3.9 cm
Capacity: 120 ml

The listed price is for one cup. Each piece is individually handcrafted, and natural variations in form, glaze, and imprint are inherent to the process, making every cup unique. 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 craft, culture, and emotion are held in balance—bringing together centuries of ceramic tradition and a quiet wish for joy in the present moment.