Tea ware has evolved alongside the development of tea culture, transitioning from large to small, from simple to elaborate, and then back to simplicity. Nowadays, there is a widespread trend in society to enjoy tea drinking and appreciate tea ware.

It is known that before the Tang Dynasty, literature mentioned tea ware, but not in great detail. This was mainly because tea ware was used together with dining utensils at the time. After the publication of “The Classic of Tea” by Lu Yu, the sage of tea, the tea way became widely practiced. Chinese Tea entered a new realm from this point onwards. In the chapter on “Instruments,” 28 types of utensils for brewing and Drinking Tea are listed. This set of tea ware became popular among both the court and common people, to the extent that “those who were fond of it kept a set at home.” It exemplified the characteristics of being practical as well as appealing to the senses.

If Tang Dynasty tea ware was characterized by its simplicity and rustic charm, then Song Dynasty tea ware was marked by elegance and beauty, often collected as art pieces. Compared to the Tang Dynasty, the main changes in Song Dynasty tea ware included the shift from using kettles to tea bottles for heating water, and the preference for Black Tea bowls. All these changes were in line with the popular custom of tea competitions (a playful way of drinking tea) during the Song Dynasty. Additionally, during the Song Dynasty, tea bowls were commonly used, which were small-bottomed, wide-mouthed bowls with thick walls. What was different was that bowls coated entirely in black glaze from Jianzhou (today's Jianou, Fujian Province) were considered superior. These bowls, also known as wuni (black mud), heicha (black Jian), or zijian (purple Jian), were popular during the Song Dynasty primarily due to the need for tea competitions. During a tea competition, the tea infusion would appear white, and the foam on top would be pure white as well. When paired with the black Jian bowl, the contrast between black and white was clear, making it easy to discern the water marks and judge the quality of the tea. The thicker walls of the bowl helped maintain the temperature of the tea. These were all practical functions of the Jian bowl.

In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, masters of tea ware artistry brought about a return to simplicity, favoring White Tea bowls. Starting from the Ming Dynasty, there was a significant shift in the color requirements for tea bowls, primarily due to changes in the way tea was consumed. By this time, compressed tea had fallen out of fashion, and loose leaf tea had become popular, similar to modern stir-fried Green Tea. With the prevalence of loose leaf tea, the method of drinking tea changed from boiling to steeping (this method of drinking tea continues to the present day). The green tea infusion, when contrasted against white porcelain, appeared even more fresh and elegant, pleasing to the eye. This explains why blue-and-white, doucai, and fencai tea ware of the Ming and Qing Dynasties predominantly featured white as their base color. Later on, white porcelain advanced to the point of being “as thin as paper, as white as jade, as resonant as a chime, and as bright as a mirror,” becoming an exquisite work of art.