Xuan Ceramic Elevation Tray - Yuan

Handcrafted by Dan Dong, CH, c. 2025

This tray has rhythmic circles across the surface, expressing the Taoist concept of one begets two; two begets three; three begets the myriad. Executed in Dong Dan’s signature black glaze, the pattern plays with optical tension—both grounded and expansive. A versatile piece made for tea ceremony, sculptural presentation, or contemplative display.

Named for Xuan, a classical Chinese term signifying the profound, the unknowable, and the darkly luminous, the piece reflects Dan Dong’s interest in quiet spatial tension and subtle contrasts. A practitioner of Jizhou kiln techniques and glaze experimentation, he reinterprets Song Dynasty traditions through pared-back silhouettes and visual rhythm.

Sold individually.

• Dishwasher safe

“They come from my purest focus — a perfect roundness, a profound black, serene as a monument.”

Dan Dong’s ceramics are a testament to precision and serenity. Each piece is shaped by hand, achieving a flawless roundness, while the deep black glaze—crafted from Sichuan clay and straw ash—strikes a delicate balance between gloss and matte. Inspired by the ancient Jizhou kiln patterns, his designs feature intricate dots and circles that seem to expand and multiply, evoking the infinite cycles of nature.

For Dan, creating ceramics is a disciplined practice. Every vessel undergoes a meticulous process of shaping, firing, and glazing, where even the smallest error can mean starting over. Yet, it is through this exacting process that his work achieves its quiet elegance—a reflection of life’s fragile balance, timeless in its simplicity and profound in its beauty.