At the time, tea was prepared by whisking powdered leaves that had been pressed into dried cakes together with hot water, which was somewhat akin to matcha in the Japanese tea ceremony. The water added to this powder produced a white froth that would stand out better against a dark bowl. Jian ware reached the peak of its popularity during the Song dynasty. Vessels of this time were also greatly appreciated and copied in Japan, where they are known as tenmoku () wares. The Japanese term derives from Tianmu Mountain (), where this type of vessel was supposed to originate from and be appreciated. Five of these vessels that originate during the southern Song dynasty are so highly valued that they were included by the government in the .