Making the process of Jian Zhan Wares:
The make of Jian Zhan is much explicit and can be explained much, and all are to be made under the Song dynasty specifications.
1.Clay selection
Clay selection is essential to meet the needs of the creation of these wares. Clay with a high iron percentage is needed to ensure it meets the standards of making Jian Zhan.
2.Crushing
Prepare clay and graze through Pulverization to attain finer grains that will be molded well.
3.Washing and Sieving
When making Zhan wares, the clay should be thick and denser and much moderate as also the glaze. After you have sieved the clay is put in the slurry tank and the glaze placed on the pool for preservation and attainment of the required density and foraging purposes.
4.Chen Fu
This is a terminology that refers to the keeping of the clay and Glazes away from direct sunlight and air. It is to ensure that the clay and glaze are of absolute humidity and oxidation rate due to Iron presence.
5.Knead the clay
Kneading is a process of removing the air and impurities from the clay and making the slurry much denser, uniform in humidity to ensure correct forming of clay to create the wares easily. Apart from that, it will prevent the clay from breaking and after the wares production. It is an essential step that should be correctly done.
6.The shaping of the clay
Clay shaping is essential, depending on what you want to create and mold if you have a machine shaper the better and much higher precision.
7.Modification
Jian Zhan models of the tea wares had a shallow circle foot and the base part with an inner ring that needed to be modified by a knife. It is essential to observe the Zhan traditional creation design.
8.Kiln unglazed Jian Zhan
After the modification of the clay to Jian Zhan design then you have to kiln the clay, and its importance is to strengthen the clay mechanically which will ensure that the imperfect Jian Zhan is removed.
9.Blend Glaze
The traditional glazing was done by natural iron ore and plant ash which decomposed to a beautiful glaze on the Jian ware. The secret is to use purest materials to crystalize effectively.
10.Glazing
Jian Zhan craft featured as one of exceptional work through a graze line to control the glazing range. Glazing should be skillful to ensure it is moderate, it made thin then small crystals will be formed and produce weak work, and if too thick, the glaze may easily stick at the bottom.
11.Put in the kiln
Place a layer of alumina to avoid sticking and put the Jian Zhan ware back to the kiln.
12. Fire the Kiln
In the making of Jian Zhan, the kiln process is much of importance than all other methods. The degree, time, and frequency maters so much in attaining the desired glaze color. When Jian Zhan is put in the kiln, there should be total concentration to ensure the right temperatures and make sure that the wares do not overstay in the kiln.
13. Finish Kiln
The making process has many restrictions and to make sure that whatever comes from the kiln is of quality inspection is done, and the defected Jian Zhan is destroyed on the spot to avoid breaking the reputation of the Song dynasty.