Offering an archaeological and historical ethnography of ceramic making and craft knowledge in rural China, this book focuses on the heritage and revival of Temmoku pottery. Mainly used for tea ware in ceremonial rituals, Temmoku pottery was inspired by the aesthetic values found in Chinese Jian ware of the 12th-century and was later emulated in Japan.

Giacomo Caruso shows how the artistic merit of Temmoku pottery craftsmanship is not based on abstract or merely visual or commercial values, but is the result of several factors: the historical genesis and mythology of the craft; technical expertise in a workshop; and environmental conditions and skilled knowledge. It is here, in the intersection between craft-making and historical vicissitudes, that the secrets of the manufacturing process of these material objects come to light.

From a heritage perspective, Caruso traces the origins, continuity and ultimately the recent technical revival of Temmoku ware in local communities. This revival is a union of experience, collective historical memory and daily practice that is ultimately grounded in local tea culture and a national revival of antique art. The significance of Jian ware for the history of tea also provides new interpretations, especially regarding the cultural and aesthetic influences between China and Japan during the Song dynasty and today.