Amidst the mist of tea fragrance in Tongxinshe Teahouse, there are always some utensils that carry the stories of time and the craftsmanship of tea lovers. Today, we specially recommend a pure tin tea caddy named "Yiya Tea Caddy". It is not only an excellent vessel for storing tea but also a work of art that embodies historical charm and craftsmanship beauty.
Tracing back to the wisdom of tea storage, The Imperial Palace Tribute Tea Illustrations clearly records that most tribute teas in the Qing Dynasty were stored in tin caddies, which fully demonstrates the tradition and preciousness of using tinware for tea storage. Among them, a Longjing pre-rain tin caddy has been passed down to this day as a classic due to its unique shape. The Yiya Tea Caddy we recommend traces its shape precisely from this classic, replicating the elegance of a hundred years ago in the present.
In terms of shape, the Yiya Tea Caddy is square, with a small mouth, a long neck, a folded shoulder, and a gradually tapering belly. The lines are neat yet soft, exuding a calm demeanor amidst dignity and elegance, full of ancient charm. The size of 135mm in height and 75mm in width perfectly balances practicality and display beauty. The capacity design also caters to the needs of tea lovers: it can store about 100g of Tieguanyin, and about 50g of rock tea, Dan Cong, silver needle, Longjing, and white peony, meeting the storage needs of different types of tea.
Regarding its material, the Yiya Tea Caddy is handcrafted from pure tin from Gejiu, Yunnan. Gejiu's tin mines have a long-standing reputation, and the tin is pure and delicate, laying a solid foundation for the utensil. Its "Ancient Tin Reverse Carving" series further showcases extraordinary craftsmanship. The ancient tin craftsmanship of Banxi Long is a wonderful method of antique finishing on the surface of tinware, which is more complex than making natural-color tinware. It needs to be processed with an independently developed special technique on the basis of natural-color tinware. Due to the low melting point of tin, high-temperature oxidation treatment is impossible, so it can only rely on manual cold coloring, which takes longer. Finally, it achieves a restrained and calm color and a simple and elegant texture, as if it has gone through years of precipitation, with a温润 charm polished by time.
Admiring its decorations, the罐身 integrates poetry and painting. The verse "With leisure, I store fragrant tea; brewing tea, the fragrance permeates the spring thatched cottage" is integrated with the picture. In the picture, lush trees and elegant pavilions stand quietly. Two people holding tea cups are devoutly smelling and tasting tea. Beside them, exquisite tea sets are arranged on the tea shed, presenting a leisurely scene of tea lovers gathering. The carving is delicate, vividly showing the integration of natural landscapes and the elegance of tea lovers. Looking at it, one feels as if entering a tea realm, with a sense of leisure.
Using tinware to store tea is originally the wisdom of the ancients. The good sealing and preservation functions of pure tin can effectively prevent the loss of tea fragrance and nutrients, and keep the tea from discoloring and having no peculiar smell, so that every time you open the caddy to take tea, you can encounter the fresh fragrance as before.
The Yiya Tea Caddy inherits the charm of ancient tin, integrates the ingenuity of handcraftsmanship, and gathers the ability of tea storage. For Tongxinshe Teahouse, it is not only a practical tea utensil but also a link connecting the feelings of tea lovers past and present. If you also want to find a proper place for your cherished tea, allowing tea fragrance and ancient charm to be preserved together, this Yiya Tea Caddy will surely not disappoint you.