Otagaki Rengetsu 'waka chawan' poem carved tea bowl #3025

- width: approx. 13cm (5 1/8in)

- tall: approx. 6.5cm (2 9/16in)

- weight: 256g (gross 532g)

Tatsu hi yori nodokani nari te yononaka no uki wo hedatsuru harugasumi kana.

Since the day it appeared the world has been peaceful unpleasant things shut out— ah, the spring mist.

Otagaki Rengetsu

Otagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875) was a Buddhist nun who is widely regarded as one of the greatest Japanese poets of the 19th century. She was adopted at a young age by the Otagaki family. It is said that she didn’t live a happy life because she lost her adoptive father and five brothers from illness. She married, but her husband died soon after. She remarried but lost this husband too from illness after only four years, as well as her young son and three young daughters. She joined the temple Chion-in and became a nun, taking Rengetsu ("Lotus Moon") as her Buddhist name. She made pottery inscribed with her poems with a spike in order to make a living. Fortunately her products became popular and she became very wealthy. However she continued to live a simple life. She donated a large amount of money during a famine in the 1850’s and devoted herself to saving the poor late in life.

Sorry, but I do not know exactly about Chinese product because I am not expert on it. Please see the photos attentively.