Burn the small wood-fired kiln to a fiery red
Deciding to explore a secret, one about earth and flame. It began at a friend's tea gathering where I encountered a Teaware that looked “earthy.” I decided to go directly to the kiln site in Yimen, Yunnan, to see the firing process.
Upon first glance at freshly fired wood-fired teaware, you are likely to see three colors: red, black, and yellow—these form the basic palette of wood-firing. However, the combinations, overlaps, and shades are all due to nature's whims, beyond human control. Picking up a Cup at random, it feels substantial in the hand—a good candidate for a personal cup. The skin can clearly perceive the changes in texture; bright brown “oil drops” glide down the inner and outer walls, solidifying into a deep green at their end, with irregular crackle patterns adding a sense of vitality and transparency along the way. Or they settle within the cup, piling up at the bottom, with other ash deposits adhering to the glaze like white plum blossoms falling. Next to the glossy glaze crackle, there is a transition from golden-brown to deep red, then crinkling up to form black orange peel patterns. Turning the teacup upside down reveals the greatest surprise: a smooth “black pearl” suspended within the footring, like dots of plum blossoms amidst layers of green water under the light. If it were any larger, it might stick and become defective; if smaller, it may not sufficiently fill the cracks, also rendering it defective. The line between delight and disappointment is as thin as this tiny fraction.
As for those with “national style landscapes” painted on them, or those with flowing glazes frozen into snow-capped mountain waterfalls, or those with blue, green, gold, and other colors hidden in the curves of the vessels… the naturally formed ash glazes have a very strong sense of layering. When observing closely, different colors seem to seep into and blend with each other, worth savoring, and revealing myriad transformations.
All these extremely rich and varied effects come from what is known as “ash glaze,” which involves firing pure, unglazed ware in a kiln heated by the continuous burning of wood to around 1300 degrees Celsius. The ashes fall onto the wares and, under high temperature, form a natural “ash glaze” that randomly adheres to the surface of the objects, creating various visual effects. Direct contact with the high-temperature flames also forms “fire marks” or “fire prickling patterns,” adding another aesthetic element. Such small kilns are generally called “crossdraft kilns,” resembling an “inverted small boat” inside, cramped, capable of firing several hundred cups, bowls, and other tea-related wares.
In early March this year, at the 56th National Arts and Crafts Fair, Taochay's “Shallow Shadow Tranquil Joy” teaware set won the Gold Phoenix Innovation Design Award 2025 for Ceramic Arts. This set of teaware has a base color of reddish-brown, with gossamer-like Silver-gray patterns appearing at the waist or rim of the pieces. The tongues of fire have brushed over the surfaces like dragons, leaving their footsteps, shimmering under the light and tactile to the touch.
Abandoning human control and entrusting creation to wood, flame, and weather, waiting for unknown results—this is the pleasure of Zhao Chunpu, founder of Fiery Red Wood-Firing. “Each firing is actually an exploration at the edge of the unknown. I cannot accurately predict the final outcome, but I am always trying to understand the principles behind it. For example, when there is a sudden drop in temperature or rain, causing sudden changes in humidity and temperature, the results are often unexpectedly fascinating.”
The firing process is like an adventure, but playing with the finished wares provides stress relief and comfort. “I didn't expect that many of our fans are people engaged in high-stress, high-risk professions. Perhaps using such naturally derived teaware with Pu'er tea brings more grounding, stability, and comfort,” Zhao Chunpu told me.
Perhaps it's the joy of handling a one-of-a-kind wood-fired teaware, a pleasure imbued with a unique aesthetic sensibility, and finding richer, more varied enjoyment through comparisons and exchanges with fellow enthusiasts. Because Zhao Chunpu himself has been in the Pu'er tea industry for over a decade, in his heart, the thickness, stability, and slight restraint of Pu'er tea complement the ruggedness, splendor, and natural simplicity of wood-firing. Therefore, he positions his teaware as Pu'er tea ware, Pottery for Pu'er tea enthusiasts.