Tea Bowl

Zen Buddhist paintings and calligraphy are primarily images of meditation—growing from meditation and in turn inspiring new contemplation—and this idea readily translated to objects used by monks in such contexts. In this tradition, the monk Deiryu inscribed the outer wall of this tea bowl used in the ritualized drinking of the whisked powdered green tea of the Tea Ceremony with the meditative phrase “Quiet and Motionless.” Because of its overall shape—a broad, shallow profile that allowed the hot tea to cool quickly—this bowl was probably used by monks in the summer.