This small footed cup from the Night Sip series carries a quiet, dusk-like warmth. The tapered body is wrapped in fine hand-engraved lines and floral traces, softened by the deep brown clay beneath. Its tall stem lifts the form slightly from the table, giving the piece a light, contemplative presence—a vessel made for slow evening moments, whether for a sip of tea, wine, or simply a small ritual at the end of the day.
The Night Sip series draws from the muted tones and intimate scale of traditional night cups, emphasizing subtle textures, engraved motifs, and the natural depth of dark clay. Each piece is shaped and carved by hand, leaving gentle irregularities that echo the rhythm of touch. Fired at 1260°C, the surfaces hold a soft sheen and a grounded, understated character suited for quiet, personal use.
NANYI Studio was founded by Ye Yu (叶宇), who was inspired by the ancient ceramic traditions of Jingdezhen and the surrounding regions. The studio’s work focuses on hand-thrown and hand-carved ceramics, blending historic craft methods with contemporary sensibilities. Fired at 1260°C and guided by a devotion to material and form, every piece carries a sense of patience, intimacy, and timeless quiet.
Size:
Diameter: 6cm
Width: 6cm
Height: 7.5cm
Nanyi Studio
Hand-carved in Jingdezhen, each NANYI piece transforms centuries-old Cizhou carving traditions into a quiet modern rhythm.
Fired at 1260 °C with layered white slips and tea-tone clays, the surface bears the trace of every cut and breath.
ts restrained forms and tactile textures speak of time, patience, and the living beauty of handmade craft.
Material & Firing
Each piece is formed from NANYI’s signature black clay, a blend uniquely refined for density and warmth. The surface is finished with special Jingdezhen glazes and slips, then carved entirely by hand and fired at 1260 °C—a high-temperature process that renders the body firm, non-porous, and resistant to stains.
Traces of the artisan’s tools remain beneath the glaze, revealing the quiet dialogue between earth, fire, and hand.
Form & Aesthetics
NANYI’s forms flow with subtle symmetry and natural restraint. The curves are drawn from traditional vessel lines yet softened for modern life—graceful, balanced, and calm to the eye.
The tactile surface invites touch; its smooth glaze and fine weight offer both elegance and everyday durability.
Each piece embodies the studio’s belief that craftsmanship should feel alive in use—where ancient rhythm meets contemporary stillness.
A Steady Devotion to Clay
Born in Guizhou’s mountain light and rooted in the thousand-year Cizhou tradition, NANYI speaks in lines carved by hand—calm, precise, and quietly alive.
Working with dark clay, white slip, and a steady 1260 °C firing, the studio’s forms carry tea-green depths beneath a soft veil of white. Surfaces keep the trace of tools; edges stay human. These are pieces made to accompany the day—tea, flowers, a shelf of small light.
Founder Ye Yu returned home to build a kiln in the old family house, where local artisans gather to share methods. Nan is native soil; Yi is the spark within the kiln. In each vessel you can feel both: the patience of the ground and the lift of fire.
Gathered Drift follows wind-worn stone; Sgraffito Bloom layers dark clay and white slip in living echoes; Night Sip holds the hush of murals and relics—the touch of time meeting the warmth of the hand.
“I hope that when you touch my ceramics, you also feel this steady devotion.”
— Ye Yu, NANYI Studio
