Fairness Tea Pitcher (gōng dào bēi 公道杯) - Wood-Fired

The Gōng Dào Bēi 公道杯 ("Fairness Pitcher" or "Fairness Cup") is a small pitcher that the steeped tea is poured into, making it possible both to be precise in how long the tea is steeped as well as creating a liquor (steeped tea) that is the same flavour and  same amount steeped for all those partaking.  

The tea is first steeped in a teapot, gaiwan or other steeping vessel, then poured into the Gōng Dào Bēi, from which it is served into small cups.  High quality loose leaf teas may be steeped multiple times, with variation and depth of flavour emerging from subsequent steepings.  

These wood-fired pitchers display a process called flashing unique to atmospheric firings such as wood-firing.  Flashing  colours occur when the flames of a wood kiln burn up the oxygen available and then seek more oxygen by pulling it out of the clay body and / or glaze.    These were wood-fired for 3 days and 2 nightts in a traditional Japanese-style Noborigama kiln.