The suffix "lao" ("old" in Mandarin) refers to the long storage

elevating a frequently brusque tea into a refined and delicate infusion

but is a kind of kenning for 'beauty'—perhaps what such a tea encourages one to perceive

the creamy tone derived from an ancient recipe of plant ash

landmark gaiwan large oolong_yancha The suffix "lao" ("old" inEmerging from the table like a titanic sculpture, this large and thick gaiwan by Liu Shisan is weighty and monolithic, with a textured glazes suggesting roughly carved marble and oxidised iron. The clay has been carefully worked to keep the two from encroaching on one another, and the dark pedestalled foot and button with a shallow basin resemble nothing so much as an old stone and bronze fountain just waiting for water. The wide, sturdy construction