Celadon Gye-Young Bae (Sobriety Cup): Flowing Yeonri Pattern Created from Three Clays By Master Artisan

“Where the boundary between intention and surrender becomes art.”

At first glance, this set appears almost hypnotic—its undulating lines ripple like silk caught in motion. But beneath the visual rhythm lies something deeper: a vessel shaped not only for beauty, but for wisdom.

This is a Gye-young Bae—a sobriety cup—whose structure gently enforces moderation. When filled beyond its unseen threshold, the liquid vanishes through a hidden internal passage. This is not a flaw, but a reminder: that excess empties, and balance endures.

Crafted entirely by hand on the potter’s wheel by master artisan Kim Myung-Sub, the form is compact, elegant, and demanding in its execution. But it is the surface that astonishes: a swirling pattern known as Yeonri (연리문), achieved through the precise layering and manipulation of three differently coloured clays. The process walks a tightrope between control and chaos—too much blending, and the colours muddy; too little, and they fracture. Each piece emerges with its own rhythm, its own unpredictable logic. No two will ever be the same.

Though developed during the Goryeo period, this technique has remained elusive—its complexity making it far less common than the well-known sanggam inlay. Here, the artist revives it with clarity and boldness. The result is neither ornamental nor austere—it is alive, as if the clay itself remembers how to move.

This work is as much about experience as it is about form. The mysterious mechanism of the Gye-young Bae invites interaction; the shifting Yeonri patterns encourage long contemplation. Together, they ask us not only to pour, but to pause.

Dimension

• Height- 12 cm (4.72 inch)
• Width- 12 cm (4.72 inch)
• Length- 16 cm (6.3 inch)

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