In the long and profound river of traditional Chinese tea culture, purple sand utensils are like a dazzling pearl, exuding a unique charm. For old tea enthusiasts who love drinking tea, a suitable purple sand teapot is not only an excellent tool for making tea but also a carrier of tea culture, an indispensable treasure on their tea tables. This is all due to the magical feature of purple sand teapots, which "allow air to pass through but not water." When used to make tea, it can vividly bring out the color, aroma, and taste of the genuine tea, enabling tea tasters to obtain the purest tea flavor.
With admiration and love for purple sand art, Tongxin She Teahouse had the honor to visit the master of Yixing purple sand teapots, Mr. Hui Xiangyun, in Yixing, China, and appreciated his ingenious masterpiece, the "Rare Zhu Ni Wu Nian Teapot."
Mr. Hui Xiangyun was born into a family of ceramic artists. As the 15th generation descendant of Hui Mengchen, a renowned teapot maker in the Ming Dynasty, he was born in Yixing, the sacred land of purple sand, in 1968. Since his childhood, he has learned the art of teapot making under the careful guidance of his father and later studied under He Daohong, a master of Chinese ceramic art. Under the influence of his profound family heritage and the instruction of his famous teacher, Mr. Hui Xiangyun has developed a solid foundation and has a unique and profound understanding of purple sand art. With his exquisite craftsmanship, he has won the reputation of the "Folk Purple Sand Master." Mr. Jin Yong once inscribed the words "Hui Xiangyun's Purple Sand Treasures" for him, and Master Qi Gong personally wrote "Xiangyun Teapot Art, Daring to Climb the Peak." These are undoubtedly a high recognition of Mr. Hui Xiangyun's achievements in purple sand art.
Since the 1990s, Mr. Hui Xiangyun has keenly realized the problem of excessive mining of purple sand ore sources. With concern for the future of purple sand art, he resolutely began to collect high-quality ore sources vigorously, and thus was jokingly called the "Clay Collector" by people in the industry. The "Rare Zhu Ni Wu Nian Teapot" launched by Tongxin She Teahouse this time is made of the rare clay material that Mr. Hui Xiangyun has treasured for many years - the original ore Zhu Ni produced in Zhao Zhuang. This kind of clay material has long been out of production, and it is rich in original ore and native stone yellow particles, giving it a strong granular feeling. The finished product is similar in effect to the Zhu Ni teapots of the Qing Dynasty. It is firm, solid, and has excellent air permeability. It is also rosy and delicate, easy to polish and form a patina. As time goes by, the surface will present rich layers, exuding an ancient and remote charm.
This 110cc all-handmade purple sand teapot, from the selection of the clay material to the shaping process, is completed entirely by Mr. Hui Xiangyun's hands without the aid of any molds. In the production of purple sand utensils, hand kneading is the main method. And all-handmade production poses a great challenge to the craftsman's skills. One not only needs to have an accurate grasp of the properties of the clay but also the fine scraping and correction during the production process determines the rigor of the shape structure and the clarity and appropriateness of the contour lines. With his exquisite skills, Mr. Hui Xiangyun has made this teapot reach the realm of being round, smooth, and perfectly integrated.
In terms of craftsmanship, Mr. Hui Xiangyun is extremely capable and has a strong sense of rhythm. The spout of the teapot, whether long or short, is straight and vigorous, which is a distinctive feature that makes this teapot stand out. The body of the teapot has a shiny and smooth luster, with a thin and light body, and the lines are round and smooth, perfectly demonstrating the style characteristics of the Mengchen teapot. While inheriting traditional techniques, he has integrated his own innovation and thinking, truly achieving development while inheriting and change while developing.
It is worth mentioning that the shrinkage rate of Zhu Ni is as high as 29%, which leads to a low finished product rate and high production costs. Precisely because of this, owning a Zhu Ni purple sand teapot has become a dream of many tea lovers. And this "Rare Zhu Ni Wu Nian Teapot" made by Mr. Hui Xiangyun is impeccable in terms of the rarity of the clay material, the design of the shape, and the production process. It is extremely exquisite without any trace of shoddy workmanship and has a very high artistic appreciation value and collection value.
After the visit, Tongxin She Teahouse deeply admired Mr. Hui Xiangyun's exquisite craftsmanship and his persistent pursuit of purple sand art. This all-handmade Zhu Ni purple sand teapot made by the master is not only a practical tea-making utensil but also a rare art treasure, carrying profound cultural heritage and the painstaking efforts of the craftsman. It is believed that in the future, Mr. Hui Xiangyun will continue to contribute to the inheritance and development of purple sand art and create more amazing masterpieces.