For tea lovers, a handy purple clay teapot is the finishing touch to a tea ceremony. It doesn't need to be overly fancy, but it should embody ingenuity in its classic design and craftsmanship in its functionality. The "Red Clay Horizontal" teapot, custom-made by Tongxinshe Teahouse, is such an excellent work that combines beauty and practicality. With two capacities of 80ml and 110ml, it adapts to different tea ceremony scenes, making every tea brewing experience a pleasure.
The soul of this horizontal teapot begins with red clay from the Hongwei mining area. This clay has fine particles and strong plasticity, but it is also difficult to fire due to its hard, stone-like raw ore and sensitivity to kiln temperature (about 1100°C). If the kiln temperature is insufficient, the teapot will appear yellowish-brown with a dull luster; if it is slightly higher, it will shrink, deform, or even collapse. Only when the craftsman precisely controls the fire can the teapot body show a smooth and bright texture, like a gem gently polished by time.
What's more surprising is the "growth" of red clay. It changes color obviously when hot water is poured over it. As time goes by with brewing, the teapot body will become more and more reddish, gradually forming a温润 "patina". From the initial vitality to the later mellow charm, every trace is a witness of accompanying tea. The transformation, as if it were a different object, is the most cherished pleasure of teapot collectors.
The name "horizontal teapot" hides the ancient pursuit of balance to the extreme. In traditional standards, the weight of the clay used for the spout and the handle must be equal. When made into a teapot, it can float on the water surface and keep horizontal without tilting. This "steadiness" seems simple, but it actually tests the craftsman's deep understanding of clay and shape.
The custom-made version by Tongxinshe inherits the classic form of the standard horizontal teapot: a small round knob, a high lid, a sword-shaped spout, a round belly, and a regular ear handle. The teapot body is full and straight, with smooth and graceful lines, showing a natural charm. The round belly is good for tea leaves to舒展, fully releasing their contents, making it easier to get a full and mellow tea soup.
The handle is comfortable to hold, easy to pick up. The spout is a sword-shaped flow, with smooth and powerful water outflow, and clean and neat water cutoff.
The teapot body is thin-walled, which increases the difficulty of production, but makes the whole purple clay teapot more light and easy to use.
Holding it in the hand, it is delicate and light, easy to operate at will, with excellent use feeling.
The horizontal teapot is stable and steady, soft yet firm. With its simple and plain lines and meticulous workmanship, it interprets the classic work. It can be said that the level is shown in the horizontal teapot, and the red clay makes it more brilliant!
The charm of the horizontal teapot lies in that it interprets the aesthetics of "the greatest truth is the simplest" with its simple and plain lines. There are no redundant decorations, but every detail shows skill - the curvature of the teapot body, the angle of the spout, and the strength of the handle have all been repeatedly deliberated, finally achieving the charm of "softness with hardness".
The combination of red clay and the horizontal teapot is like adding flowers to the brocade. The vitality of red clay and the steadiness of the horizontal teapot set off each other, retaining the dignity of the classic form and showing more vitality due to the agility of the clay. As tea lovers say, "the level is shown in the horizontal teapot". This teapot is not only a good tool for making tea, but also a microcosm of teapot making skills and aesthetic vision, and a confidant worthy of being with tea lovers for a long time.
Whether you are a novice in the tea world or a senior enthusiast, this red clay horizontal teapot can become a powerful assistant in daily tea making with its classic form and excellent practical performance. The process of maintaining the teapot is also a process of communicating with tea and getting along with time. When it is gradually covered with patina, the温润 luster will be your exclusive memory.