Chinese Tea Sets: Jingdezhen China Tea Sets, Yixing Teapots

Calligraphy and Style Add Culture to Your Home

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:40:22 -0600

caption id="2" align="aligncenter" width="270" caption="The Yixing calligraphy teapot"/caption

This one-of-a-kind Yixing purple clay teapot gives your tea an extra punch and uplifts its flavor. The clay prompts a fuller and more intriguing taste in each brew by absorbing a portion of your tea for flavor that builds over time.

Your beverage is constantly given fresh air and won’t turn sour, thanks to the porous belly of this Yixing calligraphy teapot. So make tea now and enjoy it later, and you’ll never have a stale taste in your mouth!

Not to mention, this pot is an obvious statement of your taste in fine art.

Take a look at its unusual style: every detail took our master potter months to finish by hand! It is as rare as it is difficult to craft, as the pyramid shape can easily deform and fall in on itself during firing.

engraved on the belly: these Chinese characters read, ‘Green Tea Leaves Appear out of White Clouds.’ The cultured design adds elegance and class to your room.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Yixing calligraphy teapot"/caption

Check out the calligraphy
What makes this pot even more unusual is the purple clay used to craft it. Unique to the town of Yixing, China, it is all-natural and rarely seen in other countries. Today, after hundreds of years of mining, there is almost no clay left for more pots.

Cultural Anecdote: Purple clay teapots have had a special hold over the imagination of Chinese people for centuries. Some people say that a god bestowed purple clay on Yixing because an old couple from the town nursed him to health. He wanted to repay them, so he turned a nearby mountain into pure purple clay!

Very soon, your friends will find it difficult to buy any kind of purple clay teapot, whether made by man or machine. So the price for handmade, unique pots like this is certain to shoot up wildly.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Yixing calligraphy teapot"/caption

But that’s not all, because this Yixing calligraphy teapot has a ton of practical functions.
It is air-tight, so you’re getting a thorough brew, and you can lift the lid to enjoy all of the aroma trapped inside. Pick up the pot and pour your tea without worry. There won’t be any interruption of your tea’s flow, as a built-in strainer keeps all the tea leaves in and offers you a clear cup of tea.

Make the perfect pot of tea for your next lazy afternoon with friends!

Guarantees: All of our tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

gallery18

Look Away, and This Yixing China Tea Set Will Disapp

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:52:13 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="352" caption="The Yixing web tea set"/caption

This amazing Yixing purple clay tea set pulls qualities out of your tea that you never knew it had: your brew is more fragrant, more delicious, and more loyal to the natural essences of the original tea plant.

What’s more, your tea sticks around long after you’ve finished the last drop.

The walls of each item are absorbent, so some of your tea gets trapped inside. A beautiful, fragrant layer takes shape and enhances the flavor of your next serving.

The secret material inside each item in this set unlocks these qualities, but most people are too busy admiring the designs on the surface.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="290" caption="The Yixing web tea set"/caption

Fine yellow lines and abstract shapes cover every one of your items. They catch your eye every day, even when just stored on a shelf.

And try to resist the urge to bring it out for every guest; the beautiful patterns will only earn demands that you share the unique story behind this set.

So what do you suppose this set is made of? It contains a special purple clay that can only be mined in Yixing, a small town hidden in southern China.

Purple clay is increasingly rare, because most remaining quarries are almost completely empty. Some Yixing potters admit they will have to close down in a few years, while others are holding out hope that an additional source will be found.

Legend has it that a god once visited the town of Yixing. Annoyed by the unpleasant taste of tea brewed with pots made of the common mud and amazed by the generosity of the sip le peasants there, he decided to give the town a mountain of purple clay to help the people and improve the quality of their tea. Since then, Yixing potters have held a monopoly on this resource and have made some of the most fantastic teapots in all of China.

But one thing all purple clay artisans have in common is the level of care and skill they put into every piece of pottery.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Yixing web tea set"/caption

Check out the plump body of the teapot that holds in heat and keeps your tea fresh for hours. It stays stable on any surface, because the round shape quickly becomes flat for a secure base.

You even have two sizes of teacups that fit your liking. The tall, slim cups channel the aroma of your tea up to your nose, and Chinese people use them to sniff away tea fragrances. The shorter, round cups balance the flavor of your tea and are designed to allow easy sipping.

So get ready to know what your tea really tastes like and impress your friends with your knowledge of Chinese teaware, all because you have this Yixing purple clay tea set!

Guarantees: All of our tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

Chinese Eggshell Teapot Gives You Piece of Mind

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:56:20 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="320" caption="The Yixing green eggshell teapot"/caption

Don’t you like to experience all the advantages of your favorite tea? Of course you do! This Yixing purple clay teapot makes you realize how much more fragrant and tasty your tea really is.

While you’re enjoying that great flavor, don’t worry that your tea will get cold.
This green eggshell teapot keeps your tea hot for a long time, as the material keeps warm air in and the lid on top makes a nice seal.

Have to go out after making tea in the morning? Don’t think twice, just go ahead without hesitation. When you get back, the tea in this porous pot still retains its freshly-brewed taste.

That’s because of this 'breathing' material, called Yixing purple clay. It comes exclusively from Yixing, a small town in southeastern China.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="224" caption="The Yixing green eggshell teapot"/caption

Since purple clay is on the verge of depletion, an outstanding purple clay teapot is a great item in your cultural collection as well as a smart investment.

Look at the tiny cracks all over the body, but don’t worry, they’re not real and your pot won’t break. On the contrary, they make it even more intriguing and add to the technical difficulty of creating this pot.

Display this green eggshell teapot in any room, because its original design appeals to everyone. A round “bird’s crop” bulges out just under the spout, breaking through conventional designs and adding a lively feeling to your pot.

Cultural Anecdote: Pottery with faux cracks is called “Ge,” meaning elder brother, pottery in China. It is said that long ago there were two brothers who were both famous for their pottery, but the elder brother was the better of the two. Out of jealousy, the younger brother poured a ladle of cold water into his brother’s kiln, aiming to break all of the pots inside. Unexpectedly, this created amazing items that had beautiful cracks on surface but were still rock solid.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="284" caption="The Yixing green eggshell teapot"/caption

Thanks to the master potter’s careful hand, this pot guarantees a smooth flow with no splash. The spout, button, and handle are affixed in a straight line.

Use this Yixing green eggshell teapot, and the veiled essence of your tea has nowhere left to hide!

Guarantees: All of our tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

gallery16

Tea Surrenders Its Flavor to This Yixing Teapot

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:49:04 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="320" caption="The Yixing dragon and lion teapot"/caption

Please note: This teapot is currently out of stock.

Please allow additional time for delivery.

Can a pot of tea brewed many hours ago quench your thirst without tasting sour? When you use this Yixing green clay teapot to brew your tea, the answer is ‘YES’!

This pot keeps your tea fresh and tasty for hours or even days. Also, the warmth of your tea still soothes your stomach, as the natural clay is a fantastic insulator.

Now you will definitely want to drink more healthy Chinese tea. Why? Tea scents build up inside this remarkable vessel and make each brew slightly more uplifting than before.

No joke, the walls of this pot actually absorb your tea, so eventually you’re brewing tea in a pot that tastes like tea too. It’s like baking a cake in a pan made of frosting!

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="330" caption="The Yixing dragon and lion teapot"/caption

Check out the rare crack-like pattern on the body: it tricks your eyes into thinking they are real cracks. It’s an exceptional table display, because it detracts from the usual smooth look common teapots may have.

It takes a potter years to learn how to make such designs; an amateur would never even attempt this.

And there’s no need to fear the unique, lifelike lion sitting right on top. Its playful look is the result of many failed attempts and hours of hard, focused work. The mighty crouch indicates its readiness to protect you from evil spirits.

Cultural Anecdote: Did you know that a lion in China is a symbol of protection, and people call on it to ward off evil spirits? One legend has it that a vicious dragon once came to a small coastal town and schemed to take the town under its rule. The people’s fate was hanging by a thread when a giant lion came to the rescue. It fought the monstrous dragon and the town was saved. To thank the lion, the people built an iron lion in the village and venerated it as their protector.

See how dismayed the dragon is! It bows to the lion and naturally forms the handle. A lesser artisan couldn’t possibly complete such a complicated design.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="227" caption="The Yixing dragon and lion teapot"/caption

Hold the pot and see how nice the pour is! The handle, spout and lid are arranged in a straight line for a perfect flow of tea.

And watch as the straight, blunt spout lets out a slick curve of tea and ensures that there is no dribbling on your table cloth.

Last but not least, look at the unusual, exotic green sheen. It comes from a rare green clay unique to just one mountain in Yixing, China. Years of mining has put this clay on its very edge of depletion.

Make your teapot topic of the party today, and let everyone know about your special piece of Chinese culture.

Guarantees: All of our tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

gallery13

Find a Secret in Your Chinese Tea Set

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:51:51 -0600

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="Yixing Secret Spot Teapot"/caption

Every suit has a matching collar, likewise, this purple clay teapot matches your favorite tea. Yixing china tea sets unleash the genuine, secret taste and scent of any tea

Purple clay is a porous material which allows teapots to ‘breathe’: your tea stays delicious and warm longer than in any other pot. No hurry to gulp up the precious beverage, you can enjoy it one sip at a time, knowing your next serving will be even better!

Notice the soft luster on your pot? Here's the secret: the master potters of Yixing do not glaze their work. The benefit of this technique - as you will find out - is that the teapot ‘sucks in’ the flavor of your leaves… only to give it back in a more fragrant way.

But there is a catch: the exceptional Yixing purple clay is now in short supply. Sought after for hundreds of years by Chinese emperors and commoners alike, this clay has seen its reserves greatly depleted. This may in part explain the interest of a growing number of collectors for Yixing chinese tea sets.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Yixing secret spot teapot"/caption

The rarity of this clay does not explain it all, however. Look at the one-of-a-kind, hand-made design. This pot took a skillful potter nearly two months to complete, and no one will ever be able to make an identical copy of it, not even the master potter himself!

Note the calligraphy. These four Chinese characters mean ‘A winding path leads to a secret spot.’ On the other side, a delicate landscape scene was carved to soothe your heart while enjoying tea.

It is believed Chinese characters were originally invented some 5,000 years ago by Cang Jie, an official of the imperial court. Cang Jie was ordered to create a writing system to ensure the legacy of the throne. He first devised pictographs based on objects, then developed more intricate characters with complex meanings. Today, the Chinese language is written with some 10,000 unique characters!

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Yixing secret spot teapot"/caption

Good teapots like this show a perfect alignment of the spout, button, and handle. So when you pour your tea, you can enjoy a straight, smooth flow into your cup.

But wait there is more! When the teapot has a perfect shape, you can stop the flow at will by plugging the tiny hole atop the lid with your finger. Isn’t this amazing?

Enjoy tea time with your family or friends with this Yixing purple clay teapot, and let them know your expertise in Chinese teaware!

Guarantees: All of our Chinese tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

gallery17

Elephant Teapot Brings Chinese Tea Sets to New Level

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:47:17 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="330" caption="The Yixing black elephant teapot"/caption

Overworked? Heavy-headed? Need a refresher? This unique Yixing purple clay teapot brews you a rich cup of tea that will stir your spirits to life.

Brew by brew, you notice a remarkable change in your tea. The 100% natural Chinese teapot absorbs and holds tea only to deliver it in your next infusion, producing a richer flavor each time.

And what an eye-catcher on your table! The whimsical body is shaped like a turtle and makes your dining room come to life.

This complicated shape distorts and is formed during the firing process, which makes it extraordinarily hard to predict what the final outcome will be. So don’t try this at home, even our master potter went through piles of Yixing clay just to get this one right!

caption id="" align="alignright" width="280" caption="The Yixing black elephant teapot"/caption

But it wasn’t in done vein; the smooth lid fits perfectly on top of the turtle’s shell to fully enclose all of the aroma and flavor of your tea while it brews.

Don’t forget to admire the cute little elephant atop the lid. It's bending its legs and lifting its trunk as if to greet you. This cheerful creature bears a stamp of the Chinese character ‘Fu,’ which means fortune. You can easily open the pot by gripping the elephant.

Cultural Note: Did you know that an elephant wishes ‘wealth and honor ahead of you’ in China? That's because elephant in Chinese is pronounced ‘Xiang,’ which sounds the same as the Chinese word for prime minister. He who holds this post will bring great honor and wealth to his family. Thus, elephants and honor have been associated together throughout Chinese history.

Check out the clean black sheen of the Yixing clay that makes your Chinese teapot a rare sight. Such clay could soon be a ‘was,’ as reserves will be depleted in a just few years.

Yixing clay holds heat for an extra long time, which means fewer visits to the kitchen and a more time relaxing with friends or loved ones.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="280" caption="The Yixing black elephant teapot"/caption

Even many hours after a brew, enjoy a flavor of your tea that is deliciously fresh. This is made possible by the porous nature of the purple clay.

Let your friends sneak a look and make them jealous now!

Guarantee: All of our tea sets are the work of master potters. The techniques used have been perfected through hundreds of years of tradition. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

gallery1

Smart Monkey Chinese Teapot Brings You Smart Tea

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:44:52 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The Yixing monkey and peach teapot"/caption

While admiring this beautiful, distinctive monkey and peach teapot, you can smell the pleasant aroma of your tea becoming stronger and stronger.

Take a sip, and you may wonder why your tea is so different, and better than ever.

The reason is the porous clay this pot is made of: it’s excellent at drawing the best out of any tea leaves.

It also makes your tea more delicious by absorbing it and releasing the essences of past infusions into your current batch.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Yixing monkey and peach teapot"/caption

This amazing teapot also keeps your tea fresh all day and night. So the next time you forget your tea while rushing out the door, it’ll still be good as new when you get home.

Rare Yixing purple clay is the secret to this pot’s amazing function, and such teapots are only produced in a small town in southern China. After being popular for thousands of years, remaining quarries of purple clay are almost completely dried up.

Some shops worry that they will not even be able to sell purple clay teapots in a few years.

Because of the situation, handmade, one-of-a-kind teapots like this have become treasures for tea aficionados worldwide. These works of art can never be duplicated by man or machine.

It took our master potter months to craft this exquisite design: the funny button on the lid features a monkey who is nodding off while holding on to a big, fresh peach. He must be too sleepy to enjoy his meal!

Check out the peach leaf on the body of the pot that adds a touch of vitality to the round, smooth belly. Carving such a design takes years of training.

In Chinese culture, a monkey is considered a very smart animal. His favorite food is a peach. Why? Because his red buttocks just looks like a ripe peach, and the hair on the peach makes him think of himself! So a monkey feels quite comfortable grasping a hairy peach. The image of a monkey playing with a peach often appears in Chinese artwork, as people believe this can bring them wealth and good luck.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="360" caption="The Yixing monkey and peach teapot"/caption

The spout and the handle were carefully made to align with one another, which is a must in crafting a quality teapot. And your tea will be brewed to its fullest potential thanks to the tight-fitting lid.

Don’t worry that tea leaves may block your spout: it was made extra-wide to avoid clogging. And some nice lines on the handle make it easy to hold.

Also, this teapot doesn't contain any chemicals. It's entirely made of natural purple clay without any glaze or man-made materials.

This wonderful monkey and peach teapot is one you can't help but make your friends jealous while they admire it and you regale them with your newfound knowledge of Chinese culture!

Guarantees: All of our Chiense tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

gallery7

Porcelain China Tea Set To Rest Your Mind On

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:43:15 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="310" caption="The Jingdezhen foot base tea set"/caption

There’s a saying in China, “Sharp tools make good work.” Every Chinese tea lover knows if you want to enjoy the essence of your tea, a rare Jingdezhen china tea set like this one is essential.

Check out the hand-painted deigns on this Jingdezhen set, done in the impressionistic style. Blue and yellow streaks form lotus flowers. A lotus symbolizes spiritual purity in China, so sit back and relax while your tea set does all the work.

Here you have a covered "Gaiwan" cup with a bottomless cup base, a large uncovered recipient, and six beautiful cups, everything needed for a great tea time and a fantastic pot of tea!

Brewing tea in the large Gaiwan cup is a joy: the heat and aroma are held exceptionally well for a full, lasting brew every time. You may want to put your cup on the handy base so that it won’t scald your hands while you wait.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="285" caption="The Jingdezhen foot base tea set"/caption

The special material used to make the cup brings the best out of each leaf with just a short infusion, so it won't be long before you're enjoying that great flavor.

For the best experience, pour your tea into the uncovered recipient after it’s brewed and then into the teacups. This way, everybody will have tea with the same color, aroma, and concentration.

Not to mention, the teardrop-shaped lip on the recipient is difficult to craft and makes pouring into the small cups a breeze.

Then the tea party kicks off. Now you can tell your friends about the remarkable history of your beautiful set.

It was made in Jingdezhen, a small town in southern China. This place has been famous for making high-quality porcelain for more than 1,500 years and is sometimes called the 'Porcelain Capital' of the country.

Marco Polo (1254 - 1324) visited China centuries ago. He found Jingdezhen porcelain and brought it back to Europe. Before long, Jindezhen became world-famous, and demand in Europe skyrocketed. Fake Chinese tea sets were commonplace on many Western streets, but they could never match the skill of the Jingdezhen artisans.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="360" caption="The Jingdezhen foot base tea set"/caption

While this set looks quite simple, there’s nothing quaint about the craftsmanship. To master the modeling, firing, and painting processes, our master potter had to study for many years.

Only a limited number of true Jingdezhen sets are produced each year, so be proud of your tea set and let your tea shine!

Guarantees: All of our Chinese tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your tea set.

Imperial Chinese Tea Set Straight from Royal Kilns

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:42:06 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The Jingdezhen cats and butterflies tea set"/caption

How do you make the perfect cup of tea? Start with a Chinese tea set that draws out the best health benefits and flavor!

This set was handmade in world-famous Jingdezhen, a small town in southern China. The beautiful porcelain tradition here started over 1,500 years ago, and there’s a secret about the special clay here that not many people know.

Check out the large cup with a lid, called a ‘Gaiwan.’ The special bell shape circulates tea in the cup and forces tea leaves open for a complete infusion. Tea only needs to be brewed in this cup for a short time to ensure the best release of everything in your tea.

For an enhanced experience, you have a ‘Gong Dao’ jug for mixing tea. Pour brewed tea out of the Gaiwan in here to achieve a balanced flavor and concentration of tea.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Jingdezhen cats and butterflies tea set"/caption

Also, the small sipping cups allow for pleasurable drinking: a flared rim is designed to cool tea down and allow a smooth flow into your mouth. The true color of your tea shines against their lustrous white color.

Not only are your taste buds happy, but also you have a great place to rest your eyes! The blue-and-white hand painting of cats chasing butterflies symbolizes wild fun. This is truly a rare sight of great porcelain craftsmanship.

Making this set requires special Kaolin clay that has become quite difficult to find. The pure white material gives the porcelain its jade-luster look and thin, delicate feel.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Jingdezhen cats and butterflies tea set"/caption

Local people still say that a god gifted the clay to Jingdezhen. He dressed up as a dying beggar and was helped by a local couple. So he rewarded the town with a mountain of white Kaolin clay, to help the people earn a living.

In accordance with age-old tradition, this set was fired at 1,200 degrees Celsius for two days and two nights. During the process, potters have to ensure the temperature stays stable. They can only rely on their years of experience.

With a pleasing simplicity, the set tops your table with stylish poise, and shows your taste in fine Chinese art.

Guarantee: All of our Chinese tea sets are the work of master potters. The techniques used have been perfected through hundreds of years of tradition. We are proud to guaranty the quality of your tea set.

Cheerful Images for the Happiest of China Tea Sets

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 20:40:33 -0600

caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="The Jingdezhen boys playing tea set"/caption

This handmade china tea set features lifelike figures, multiple colors, exquisite calligraphy, and rich three-dimensional images.

Inside the teacups and pots, the Jingdezhen porcelain shines as white as snow. The true color of your tea is clearly visible against this pure background.

Also, the cups are designed with a wavy lip to hold the aroma of any tea for a very long time. They are especially fit for tea with a strong fragrance.

While enjoying your tea, also admire the vivid patterns and elaborate paintings on your cup. The designs show boys playing games together and kicking a shuttlecock. They are dressed in ancient-style Chinese clothes.

caption id="" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Jingdezhen boys playing tea set"/caption

The elegant calligraphy on the lid has four beautifully written Chinese characters that mean “A Comforting Fragrance.”

This set is not only beautiful, but also rare. It is made of Kaolin, a unique porcelain clay that is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

The natural, superior white clay is ideal for making china tea sets like this one. It is only found near Jingdezhen, a town famous for its top-of-the-line porcelain.

The tea set has a covered cup that is called ‘Gaiwan’ by Chinese. It includes a lid, a large tea cup, and a saucer. Some say these three pieces represent heaven, man, and earth.

The Gaiwan cup is usually used as teapot. Its hard glaze captures heat and the lid bottles up all steam and fragrance for a full brew every time. After brewing, pour the tea into the uncovered recipient to be served.

caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="The Jingdezhen boys playing tea set"/caption

With these advantages, no wonder the late eminent writer Lu Xun once wrote: “To enjoy good tea, a Gaiwan should be used.”

Guarantees: All of our Chinese tea sets are the works of master potters who perfected their techniques through years of tradition and training. We are proud to guarantee the quality of your china tea sets.

gallery8