The Three Main Groups of Classical Shapes of Yixing Teapots

Yixing clay teapots, sometimes called Purple Sand teapots, are traditional Chinese teapots which derive their name from the city of Yixing in the province of Jiangsu in eastern China. This region is the only place where the clay used to manufacture the teapots is found. The distinctive purple Yixing clay is used to make three basic types of traditional Chinese teapots. Teapots have been used in China since at least the 15th century.

The way tea is taken has evolved over time as it has been taken as a vegetable, a medicine, made into tea bricks and ground into powder. The teapot has replaced the tea bowl, which was the usual way at the time, to take tea. The taking of tea symbolizes the connection that people have with each other and as such, tea and teapots are part of the living traditions of China.

The three shapes are inspired by historic and other forms. One group of pots is inspired by cultural objects such as jades, ceramics including tiles, porcelains and bronze pots. Another group is inspired by geometric forms - circles, squares, polygons. And yet another group are teapots inspired by themes out of nature or the natural world - trees, vegetation, the heavens and man. In his book "The Stonewares of Yixing" K.S. Lo divides this nature category into 2 parts. One being the classic or realistic and the other being impressionistic.

Acording to Zhou Gaoqi, a Ming Dynasty author, a Jinsha Temple monk during the Zhengde Emperor's reign created a high quality teapot from Yixing clay. The teapot was admired widely among the scholarly class and soon the popularity of Yixing clay teapots spread throughout China. These wonderful teapots are unique and highly stylized. They are used throughout China in many traditional tea ceremonies. Teapots and tea are used as a way to connect to living traditions among the people and tea drinking is celebrated as a national pasttime in China. In the city of Dingshan (Dingshu) on the west bank of Lake Tai there are hundreds of shops selling these beautiful teapots. It draws thousands of tourists each year.

While the crowds rush to Dingshan, Y?xing Zisha Factory Number 1, a factory in Yixing which opened in the late 1950s is credited with processing the majority of the clay people in the region use to create all three types of teapots. The teapots are at once collector's items and an essential part of traditional Chinese life. They are functional works of art that decorate many homes in China. Each of the three styles of teapot has their own following. Those preferences are often passed along within families and communities for generations.

Among the Chinese, the Yixing teapots are traditionally used to steep and serve black and oolong teas as well as aged pu'ur tea. When used with green or white tea, the water is not poured into the teapot until it has cooled to around 85 ?C. Because these teapots absorb some of the tea during brewing, the pots soon develop a coating which has the color and flavor of the tea brewed in it. The absorption along with the frequent handling of the teapot gives the pot a patina that is very desireable. Tea stains also are produced on the teapot surface and is another very desireable effect particularly for the serious tea drinker or collector. True tea connoisseurs use only one type of tea in their pots so it develops a particular color and flavor. One tea per pot preserves the tea drinking experience and avoids the corrupting of flavor. The patina and stains are another reason why one tea per pot is used. Soap is never used to wash the pots. They are washed with fresh hot water and left to completely air-dry.

While Yixing teapots are smaller than teapots in the West, their unique designs and traditional place in Chinese culture can make them very expensive. The clay, style, artist, production method and age affect the price of the teapots. While prices generally range from a few dozen to a few thousand yuan, one Yixing teapot sold for 12.32 million Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY) in 2010, which is equivalent to 1.97 million dollars (USD).

Karen Davis is an Yixing Teapot enthusiast and collected her first pot back in the 1980's. She is the founder of Brownstoneshopper, an online webstore that sells Yixing teapots. Our unique pots are showcased in our online gallery. If you enjoyed this article on yixing teapots, contact us now online and sign up for your FREE Report!

Source: http://articles.submityourarticle.com/the-three-main-groups-of-classical-shapes-of-yixing-teapots-317348

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