The Yixing Painting Teapot

Good company and a preferred tea on hand, what more could be missing? Of course teapots like this one. The Dao Ba Xi Shi tea pot is a perfect tool to enjoy that lazy afternoon while sipping tea together with loved ones or friends.

A Yixing purple clay tea pot like this encourages one’s tea to release its full potential. An improved aroma, a better taste and a more enjoyable cup, all can be appreciated with this pot in hand.

A teapot like this is considered high-class by most tea enthusiasts. The reputation is highly attributed to the pot’s porous nature, that even if fired and heated for many times, still the pores remain.

This characteristic is brilliant for absorbing the flavor and aroma of the tea. If used more often, the pot develops a glossy interior which is even more useful in boosting the overall effect of the tea-taste, color and scent.

So pot after pot of tea brings out the best in each brew. Thanks to the

The Yixing Painting Teapot

retaining property of the material, each brew is heightened and mixed with the previous concoctions to provide for a superb taste. There is no need to finish all that 200 milliliters of tea in a rush, though. The tea will stay pure, fresh and warm for a long time inside this pot compared to other tea pots which gives tea a bad taste especially with the heat of the summer.

The exterior of the pot also becomes shiny and smoother in less than a month from absorbing oils form the hands of tea drinkers. A more lustrous appearance shines through then which emphasizes the artistic sketches of the pot.

Aside from the tea brewing excellence this pot offers, the well-crafted, handmade pot is also noticed for its artistic worth. The design of the pot depicts a typical scenario in Chinese geography. A traditional building/temple landscaped beautifully with the Chinese mountains and skies as backgrounds, one must be blind not to see its worth. Truly, a work of art and a masterpiece coming from the great artist Zhou Xiao Ming who always wins in various competitions that involve paintings and sculpting.

With its quaint, little appearance and rich design, this piece serves as a perfect gift to friends and a great item at home, especially in the living room.

The Yixing Painting Teapot

The artistic side of this pot can be attributed by its unique invented ear-like (Dao Ba) handle. The structure itself is unique. The designer was also inspired by the beauty and goodness of Xi Shi (one of the four beauties representing ancient China), inside and out, hence, the origin for the name Dao Ba Xi Shi teapot.

Due to the persistence of the mining industry for a long time in Yixing, China, the porous clay is fast approaching inexistence. With the demand for wares made from this clay, the demand grows bigger while still the production goes slower.

However, rest assured that one pot from the very person who designs this piece of art is of good quality. Months of waiting for that pot to be delivered at the doorstep is worth the wait and after opening that box, one will see how the master designer made the handle, button and spout in a straight line for that wonderful flow of tea.

Enjoy sipping that tea in Yixing purple clay teapot like this and be enamored with the rich taste it provides.

The Yixing Butterfly and Flower Teapot

While marveling at the distinct beauty this tea pot has, one can smell directly the scrumptious scent of the tea getting more and more astringent and appeals to the senses. Once sipped, the taste is even more delicious than the usual. One may wonder why that happened.

No, it is not the additives and definitely not just the imagination. It is not because of the tea, or maybe the tea has something to do with it because from the very start it is the tea’s flavor and aroma that are heightened right. Anyway, to make the record straight, the secret lies in the very material where the tea stands on, the clay that is molded into a beautiful tea pot like this one.

The clay is more commonly known as Yixing purple clay. This clay has a

The Yixing Butterfly and Flower Teapot

unique characteristic of having pores in it. The pores have a tremendous effect on the tea leaves, extracting the natural goodness of the tea and retaining some of it inside, so infusion after infusion brings out a whole, new and more delicious blend of tea.

This teapot is also excellent for holding in more warmth than the usual and keeps the drink fresh all day long, thanks to it jacket like effect on newly-brewed teas. So the next time one brews a pot of tea and forgets about it, worry not for the taste and aroma all 200 milliliters of it will still be as good as if it was taken right off the heating process.

The Yixing Butterfly and Flower Teapot

The artist who made this pot took him/her months to complete. Skills and years of experience are two main ingredients to make this one. Each pot is hand made so even if the same potter makes another one of this kind, the result is a whole, new pot but with the same quality and beauty like this.

The artists use rare purple clay that can only be found in Yixing, China. Due to its functional marvel as a teapot, the clay has been mined and used for almost two millennia now. What is the result? Well, the result is an almost-exhausted source of clay. Historians say that once, the clay was limited for Imperial use only but it later became available for almost anyone.

So if an artist gets his/her hands on this clay, he/she does everything

The Yixing Butterfly and Flower Teapot

to make it worthwhile, beautiful and functional. Only a master potter’s hands can transform a doughy material into a piece of art like this. Look and one will see closely that the handle, button and spout are aligned. Functionally, this makes pouring easier and drinking even better. No worries on the heat of the infusion though, it is contained by the dual covering of the pot. That is style and function all in one pot.

Who can not notice the wonderful hand painting of a flower and a butterfly on the belly of the pot? Depicting beauty ala nature at its very best captured in one unique teapot. In Chinese legends, a flower and a butterfly represent vitality, purity and beauty amidst the not-so enticing surroundings.

The Yixing Butterfly and Flower Teapot

Having this teapot shows one’s love for beauty and quality without compromising one another. Be wary though for your friends may get envious of your possession and on your brand new realization with the Chinese culture.

The Yixing Floral Tea Pot

This exceptionally-shaped purple clay teapot from Yixing, China is a breather. Its   appearance in the tea pottery industry is a boost to tea ware artists and a delight for tea enthusiasts. The porous clay improves the flavor of the tea by allowing the pot to breathe. The aroma and taste are fortified overtime and the warmth is held longer than the usual, making tea drinking a time for leisure without worrying too much if the drink gets cold. Even if it gets a little cold, the pot still retains the natural goodness of the drink for a better tang in the next brewing.

The calligraphy and unique shape of this pot also speaks of one’s good taste of the arts and one’s love for tradition and culture. Not to mention, the careful molding of this piece requires a lot of effort and time and it takes an artist’s touch like Liu Jian Qin from Yixing, China to add the finest details over this pot.

The calligraphy simply translates into “Luck and Harmony Come from Six

The Yixing Floral Teapot

Directions”.  This is literally true since this pot never fails to bring good fortune either as a pot or as a decoration at home. It heightens the experience of drinking tea with its flavor-booster effect and it serves as a wonderful accessory in any room for that authentic Oriental feel.

The unique base is composed of six sides for that firm support to the double-layering technique of the pot. Since the pot holds in more warmth than usual, the second layer serves to protect the hands of the preparer while pouring and refilling tea, all 200 milliliters of it.

The glazed appearance of the pot is carefully hand painted with colors that join to form these leaves and flower.

Though it looks so simple, the actual preparation of his tea pot alone takes months to finish. With the limited amounts of purple clay found in its only source, the production of this pot is becoming rare than before.

As to the reason why only Yixing is the only place where purple clay can be found, no one is certain. But legend has it that a god dressed as a beggar was helped by an old couple. In return of that favor, the god endowed them and turned a nearby mountain into unique purple clay. Since then, mining has never stopped and now the reserves have come to point that mining is strictly limited.

The Yixing Floral Teapot

With its rarity and function, purchasing this pot is never cheap. Be it handmade or machine processed, the tea commands an authority both in style and in purpose.

A practical item that artists swear one should have. The light color of the pot lets tea lovers witness the brewing of the tea inside it, and the tea can be easily poured to any cup with its spout which is equally leveled with the brim. This architectural genius and artistic magnificence make it an ideal partner for that favorite kind of tea. So go on and enjoy that perfect pot of tea with friends for a good laugh and a good accompany.

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The Yixing Round and Moist Tea Set

In an ensemble, each unique belt has an equally unique pair of shoes to match with. In tea drinking, the same meaning is the same, for one’s favorite tea, a set purple clay teapot and tea cups like this is the perfect match.

The rare purple clay found in Yixing, China is a substance almost covered with pores which allow the teapots and teacups to circulate air inside. This special characteristic makes the set hold more warmth than longer and retains more flavor and aroma the most than with other tea sets.

It is a surprise to know this, even more surprising that a clay teapot could do this.

There really is no need to finish that concoction in one single cup. The tea is best enjoyed by sipping it slowly, savoring all the taste it has and wanting more knowing that the next one will be better.

The outside surfaces of the set look glazed, like they were coated with a

The Yixing Round and Moist Tea Set

transparent film or something. However, the secret lies inside the pot and cups, the unglazed insides. The no-glaze technique of the clay has the advantage of sucking in the flavor and aroma of the tea and returns them into the next brewing.

For this reason, it is suggested to use one tea set for one particular type of tea so that no unnecessary mixing of flavors takes place.

With this superb property, the demand for Yixing purple clay tea set has increased over the years. Sad to say, the production weans due to its massive use for centuries by royalties and commoners alike to the point that that the reserves are very much diminished.

However, the scarcity of the material is not the only reason for its limited production. The handcrafting of this set takes one craftsman with enough experience and training to finish. The design may look so simple, but the carving and shaping are things that only highly-skilled hands can make.

Just take a look at that perfectly aligned handle, mouth and spout of the teapot. With a height of 6.3 centimeters, width of 12 centimeters and a pot diameter of 5 centimeters, one will surely see a smooth flowing tea into the three cups, all 150 milliliters of it. This creation is a solid example of what a good teapot is, giving comfort and function.

The Yixing Round and Moist Tea Set

The cups also have their share of the story. The 3.5-centimeter height of the cup is suited well for its 5.6-centimeter mouth diameter for easy sipping. Surely, one cup is not enough and one will breezily reach for the pot to pour another 40 milliliters of liquid satisfaction.

Tie guan yin tea, pu er tea and black tea, known for their strong-tasting flavors are the perfect blends for this set. The overwhelming aroma is slightly offset by the shapes of the pot and cups to make sipping more enjoyable. No wonder this set is themed as “round and integrating”. The absolute design just assimilates all the goodness of the tea and brings them back in full blast.

The Yixing Dragon Totem Tea Set

The very first tea set produced in the world originated from the very place where tea infusion was born. In the Yixing region of China (the only source of this unique material), purple clay, red clay or “zisha” was the main component in the aptly called Yixing tea sets.  Pot making began to rise during the Sung Dynasty (960-1279) but it flourished even further during the reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

However, before purple clay became a staple in tea pottery, tea was used to drink directly from drinking bowls after being brewed. The said clay was used in making jars, bowls and the like until it was later discovered as an ideal element in tea set making.

The set contains one tea pot and two teacups. The teapot can hold water up to 200 millimeters, equivalent to one drinking cup. On the other hand, the tea cups can accommodate 70 millimeters of water. The reason for the cups’ low water-holding capacity is to allow the drinkers to savor the hot brewed tea used in ceremonies and social gathering in ancient Chinese tradition.

 

The tea’s design is inspired by the ancient Chinese dragon cane. On the

The Yixing Dragon Totem Tea Set

wares, the relief map of this antique cane was intricately pictured. The dragon symbolizes the masculine energy and fertility of an emperor and the emperor himself. In line with the tea session’s reputation as a form of a royalty event; the legendary creature encrypted in a king’s cane is the perfect design.

 

 

What are the distinct properties of this purple clay that it has captured the hearts of almost all tea potters in China and even influenced the porcelain-dominated tea ware in the West?

 

Apparently, the color of the clay commands immediate attraction and beauty. The double layering of the ware is designed effectively to not burn the delicate hand handling the set.The glazed outside part of the set enhances more the ware’s color. However, the inside is left uncoated so that the natural pores of the clay are not blocked and the flavor, aroma, smell and warmth of the tea being brewed remains. Gradually, the teapots and cups become seasoned and the distinct flavor of the tea is absorbed for a long time. This unique property suggests that a set should be used for a certain type of tea so that there will be no mixing of the blends. Some of the teas that are best used with this set are black tea, flower tea, pu er tea, fruit tea, and so on.

 

The Yixing Dragon Totem Tea Set

The ingenuity of Chinese people and the help of Taiwanese technicians, the product is made to meet the above standards required by the European Union, American Food and drug Administration and the Switzerland SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance) which are three of the world’s most organized teams in product inspection.

 

 

Literally, the set means “to go as you wish” or “all wishes come true”. There is some truth behind it. From just being a local product, it has spread now to the rest of the world not in its primitive form but in a 280-by-180-by-120 box with a design that tells a story of culture, history and quality. The manufacturers get more than what they wished for.

 

Price in Paris:	$ 280
Our Direct Price:	$ 204.58

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The Yixing Peony Purple Clay Tea Pot

One morning, one man decided to brew his tea inside this teapot. Since he was a busy man, he hurriedly went outdoors to do his day’s work and forgot all about his newly brewed tea. When returned in the afternoon, he found the pot and decided to take it as it is, without even preheating it. Can this pot of tea still satisfy the man’s thirst without being unpleasant? Yes, definitely.

Hours or even days, this pot makes the tea fresh. As a good insulator, the pot holds in more warmth than the usual which explains its ‘tea freshener’ effects. So there is really no worry about having those stomach cramps because of ill-tasting teas.

Now, who would not want a healthier tea coming from this teapot? The unique material of the pot literally absorbs the aroma and flavor of the tea and holds them inside. The result is a heightened tea experience cp after cup.

 

What is the secret? The very substance itself that gives rise to this

The Yixing Peony Purple Clay Tea Pot

piece of art is the so-called secret. However, its use and popularity in Yixing, China is never a clandestine fact. As the only source of this rare material, this purple clay used in tea wares and in teapots like this one has come to an almost-depleted state.

 

 

Despite its near-exhausted condition, the Yixing purple clay remains as one of the most preferred substance used in tea pottery. Its absorbent properties make it an ideal mate for teas and its unglazed insides are designed to enhance this absorbent ability.

 

Price in Paris:	$ 407
Our Direct Price:	$ 220.48

 

 

Check out the distinct appearance of the pot’s exterior. Over time, the surface of the pot becomes smoother and shinier, emphasizing the design on the belly. A hand-painted, beautifully placed picture of a Peony flower.

 

The peony flower is one of the most utilized flowers in ornamental cultures. Traditionally known as the flower of “riches and honors”, the peony was proposed as the national flower of China. Since no ratification was made, the process was still in the government process and up to now, no official announcements were made yet.

 

 

The Yixing Peony Purple Clay Tea Pot

Giving justice to the flower’s symbolism and the material’s exquisite ability, artists like Wu Jun Lan created this wonderful piece to offer to the world. Given his years of experience and remarkable talent, only his talented hands can produce a tea pot like this, with numerous awards to prove it.

 

 

No one pot is exactly the same with the other. Even if one artist makes another pot, no replication takes place because of the special manual preparation of the item. Purely handmade, the artists make the spout, button and grip all aligned. This makes for an easier, dribble-free pouring.

 

No need to worry on the hotness of the brew though, the double-layering of the pot protects the hands of those who touch it. With its insulating atmosphere inside, the pot is perfect for teas like Wu Long Tea, Pu Er Tea, Longjing(Dragon Well Tea), Black tea and Tie Guan Yin.

The Yixing Peony Purple Clay Tea Pot

 

 

Celebrate life with a preferred tea from a pot made with Yixing purple clay like this and enjoy everyone’s attention on this culturally inspired creation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Price in Paris:	$ 407
Our Direct Price:	$ 220.48

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The Yixing Buddism Feather Tea Set

This Chinese Clay tea set is made from purple clay which is an extraordinary material found only in China’s quaint little town of Yixing. This clay is a mainstay in tea pottery and other wares in the industry of ceramics making. The clay is all natural. Truly a God’s gift to mankind in the form all natural goodness. The seclusion of the place nourishes the land of this rare material and deprives the soil of common earthly foes like lead and chemicals which are harmful to the health and to the temple of God, the body.

The exquisite characteristic of the purple clay that gained its reputation as one of the best form for tea wares is its special ability for retention. The pores of the clay enables the pot and cups to trap the heat for prolonged warmth when sipping tea slowly. It also rooms in the distinct aroma and flavor of a particular tea for that heavenly delight. Over time, the brew gets richer, thicker and fuller one infusion after the next which makes one feels he or she is on cloud nine.

 

Yes, cloud nine it is. The elaborate design and intricate carving of the

The Yixing Buddism Feather Tea Set

peacock feather in the set transcends its sacredness over the tea enthusiasts. In Buddhism, the feather symbolizes openness, both in earthly and heavenly aspects. This is perfectly and literally appreciated when the peacock displays everything when it spreads its tails and wings. A design often used as an inspiration in many Asian traditions and cultures. A showcase of the fervent and close relationship Asians have with their spirituality.

 

 

Beyond its magnificence in the intangible world, the purple clay tea set contains a tea pot with two tea cups and two saucers or cup seats. The tea pot stands pretty and divine with its ten-centimeter height, spread lovely with all its glory in a thirteen-centimeter diameter and opens fully with a five-centimeter mouth diameter. More or less, the pot can hold up about 250 millimeters of water.

 

The teacups seem like pillars supporting the teapot with its shorter stature of 4.5 centimeters in height and 5.5 centimeters diameter of the brim. Each cup can hold about 40 millimeters of brewed tea. The number of the cups implies that this tea set is used for occasional, intimate and sometimes spiritual session with a loved one. The cups represent how the gods would behave in a tea session. It holds the cup, when one is tired of holding a hot cup of tea. It also catches any spillage, showing a god’s virtues of thriftiness and cleanliness.

 

 

The Yixing Buddism Feather Tea Set

Today, tea enthusiasts around the world enjoy their cup of tea from a Chinese clay teapot made from the rare purple clay. Its almost divine interpretation is showed off in its infrequent production. Since the creation of this set requires a highly skilled set of hands, limited stocks circulate in the world market. However, people don’t mind it at all. The unique simplicity and deep sense of meaning of the set and the design is a thing best understood by people of equal sense and maturity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Price in Paris:	$ 260
Our Direct Price:	$ 129.32

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The Yixing dragon and lion teapot

They mold ceramic clay into every possible form: plants, fruits, animals, people, and even abstract designs. Their sophistication and creativity is something that cannot be copied anywhere in the world.

The Yixing monkey teapot

The exceptional tradition of Yixing china tea sets began long, long ago. Recent excavations show that people in Yixing began to make pottery almost 7, 000 years ago, even earlier than the Egyptians.

So the techniques used today have been perfected over thousands of years and artisans in Yixing produce some of the best Chinese tea sets available.

Today the largest ceramic museum in China, and maybe the world, stands in Yixing. There you can see all kinds of precious Yixing teapots made in this interesting little town.

Some of these china tea sets are massive and date back so far that the original shapes have been weathered and changed into new, strange objects.

The Yixing secret spot teapot

Their long history allows Yixing artisans to make the best, most beautiful, and sometimes most ornate china tea sets in the world.

One striking teapot made in 2006 is 3.6 meters tall and weighs over 1 ton. It is the largest teapot in the world. Another, the smallest in the world, weighs only 1.4 grams, and can fit on your finger tip. Both teapots are fully functional and make tea.

In fact, Yixing’s most celebrated offering to the world is the purple clay teapot. A deep understanding of pottery has helped craftsmen here make teapots that any real tea lover can’t go without.

The rare purple clay that’s used to make Yixing teapots is only found in this area. Enthusiasts say Yixing purple clay teapots bring the best flavor out of every batch of tea, but it is quickly running out because of over-exploration.

The Yixing web tea set

Emperor Qianlong, a tea fanatic, had a fine collection of Yixing Chinese tea sets that he personally custom-ordered. He shared tea from them only with his favorite ministers.

He once described Yixing teapots to be ‘teapot of teapots,’ not only for their practical use, but also the artistry of the wonderful china tea sets.

The very name “Yixing” came from another famous emperor. Over 1,700 years ago, many warlords ruled of different areas of China. The emperor needed the support of these families to maintain control, but most of them turned against him and attempted a coup three different times! Only the family from Yixing came to save him each time, so he rewarded the town with the name Yixing, which means ‘Righteous Undertaking.’

If you visit Yixing today, you will be amazed by its beautiful mountains and rivers, and terrace after terrace of tea plants. Yixing has some of the oldest tea plantations in China. The local Zisun tea is noted for its subtle, sweet flavor, and ability to promote weight loss. In the Tang dynasty, this tea was set aside for the enjoyment of the royal family.

Masterpiece Chinese tea sets from Yixing are often sold for thousands of dollars in auctions across the world. So some of the remaining master potters are venerated as living treasures, and their work is an important piece of Chinese culture that shouldn’t be missed.

The Yixing black elephant teapot

Before him, all teapots were plain shapes with no special designs crafted in the clay. Gong Chun was the servant of a monk who was a teapot expert but treated him meanly.

He secretly learned the monk’s techniques and one day, when the monk was out, he decided to make a Chinese tea set in the shape of tree knot on his own. Gong Chun was successful, and even he himself was surprised by the beautiful, irregular shape that was produced.

Now you can see that very teapot at the Chinese Museum of History in Beijing, because it was the pot that inspired artisans to look to natural objects for their designs.

a unique design of tea pot

Infusion after infusion, one feels a notable change in the flavor and fragrance of their teas. The very clay that was used to form this teapot has the unique ability to hold the tea in and retaining some of its scent and freshness for the next brewing spree.

This pot also holds in the warmth of the tea longer than the usual. This means more quality time and bonding moments spent with loved ones than in going to the kitchen and reheating the concoction. Even if not touched for a period of time, the tea will not taste sour but will remain fresh for consumption.

The secret to its success in absorbing the tea’s scent and taste is the porous nature of the clay used. This clay, often called purple clay can only be excavated at Yixing, a small in China. For centuries, the clay and its abilities were noted and were used to make tea wares. However, the constant quarrying of the said substance almost dried up the site. Some experts believe that in the near future, this rare purple clay will meet its end and it is up to the people how to prevent it.

Molding and furnishing this teapot requires the dexterity and talent of artists who have been trained and educated with the art of tea pottery for years. The item was purely handmade so no two pots are exactly the same. Rest assured that only the top of the bunch are offered to the world so the quality and class are out of the questions.

This creation looks lovely atop the kitchen table or on any other table perhaps, providing a sophisticated touch to the room. The quaint pot also reminds tea drinkers and onlookers a magical feeling since the item was inspired by a genie’s bottle. The artist combined the Arab and Chinese cultures to design a traditional artifact with a mythical inspiration.

Look at that artistically handcrafted grip of the teapot which is aligned equally with the pot’s button and spout. The artists knew exactly what to do for providing patrons the necessary comfort of owning this vessel by easy pouring and refilling without compromising its style. Now, who says both cannot be joined harmoniously?

The earthen-brown coloring gleams like dust has never touched it before. Achieving this state of appearance is no joke. After the clay was formed into its desired shape, the would-be pot underwent a series of firing processes that took days or weeks to finish. The temperature must be stabilized and must be kept watched to avoid unnecessary disfiguring of the material. The set is then readied for merchandise and over time, the exterior of the pot becomes smoother and shinier.

This teapot is devoid of all harmful substances to the body. In other words, it is all natural. This Yixing purple clay teapot far encompasses other tea pots in terms of quality and style.

Enjoy a cup of tea any time of the day and let the teapot do the job of brewing a tea that stays fresh all day, all night.