Tea ceremony, as a treasure of Chinese traditional culture, has a long history. After thousands of years of precipitation, it has long been integrated into the blood of the Chinese nation. In this leisurely tea charm, in addition to the enchanting fragrance of the tea leaves, the tea sets are also an essential and important part of the tea ceremony culture. A good set of tea sets is not only a container for holding fragrant tea but also a medium for savoring the aroma of tea and comprehending the spirit of the tea ceremony. And the teapot is undoubtedly the core of the tea sets, carrying the soul of the tea.
Among the family of Chinese tea sets, the purple clay teapot stands out uniquely. With its distinctive material and exquisite craftsmanship, it has been recognized as one of the most suitable utensils for making tea since ancient times. Wen Zhenheng in the Ming Dynasty praised in "Changwu Zhi" that making tea with a purple clay teapot "neither takes away the fragrance of the tea nor has the smell of overcooked water", highly appraising its excellent practicality. Nowadays, the purple clay teapot has long gone beyond the simple practical category and become a highly collectible work of art. As the saying goes, "Jewels in the world are not worth much, but Yixing purple clay is most precious." Especially the works of famous masters are extremely hard to obtain and highly sought after by collectors.
In the field of purple clay teapot creation, there is a giant figure - Hui Xiangyun. Born in 1968 in a pottery-making family in Yixing, as the 15th generation descendant of Hui Mengchen, a famous purple clay teapot artist in the Ming Dynasty and the originator of the Shuiping purple clay teapot, Hui Xiangyun was influenced by the artistic atmosphere of purple clay teapot making since childhood. Under the careful guidance of his father, he began to get in touch with the teapot-making process from his childhood, repeatedly practicing and studying every process, laying a very solid foundation. Later, he was also instructed by many famous purple clay artists, constantly absorbing the strengths of various schools and gradually forming his own unique artistic style. Over the years, his love and dedication to purple clay culture have never changed. Not only has he strived for perfection in his craftsmanship, but he has also devoted a great deal of effort to the protection of purple clay ore sources and the collection of high-quality clay materials. Since the 1990s, worried about the excessive mining of purple clay ore sources, he has vigorously collected high-quality ore sources and was jokingly called the "Clay Collector" by the industry insiders.
Today, Tongxin She Teahouse is honored to present a masterpiece by Teacher Hui Xiangyun - the "Zhuni Dahongpao Duoqiu" teapot. This teapot has a capacity of 180cc, which is of moderate size and quite suitable for both individual tea tasting and sharing the pleasure of tea with three or five friends.
The Duoqiu teapot, as a classic among the round-shaped purple clay teapots, was created by Cheng Shouzhen, a famous teapot-making master in the Qing Dynasty. After years of baptism, it is still highly regarded. It perfectly integrates aesthetic elements such as proportion, charm, rhythm, coherence, contrast, balance, coordination, and echo, and can be called the culmination of purple clay art. From top to bottom, the body of the teapot is composed of spheres of different sizes stacked on top of each other, interlocking ring by ring. The lines are smooth and natural, round and generous, showing a simple yet extraordinary geometric beauty, which is a perfect interpretation of the classic aesthetics of purple clay. The teapot body is huge, round, simple, and vigorous, with beautiful curves. The connection between the teapot body and the lid is raised to form the teapot neck, making the overall shape of the teapot more layered. The spout is short and delicate, slightly curved and slightly straight, which not only ensures smooth water flow but also adds a touch of vivid beauty, making the momentum of the water flow more prominent. The handle echoes the spout, with soft lines and a comfortable grip. The whole teapot has a well-proportioned structure, is simple and generous, and its exquisite craftsmanship fully demonstrates the profound teapot-making skills of the author.
This "Zhuni Dahongpao Duoqiu" teapot is made of the extremely precious Zhuni Dahongpao clay material. Zhuni clay is already famous for its delicate texture and unique color, and Dahongpao is the best among Zhuni clay, with a scarce output and great value. The purple clay teapot made of this kind of clay material has a delicate and warm hand feel, excellent clay quality. After firing, its color is gorgeous and eye-catching, and the texture is warm and transparent, making people reluctant to put it down. With his profound teapot-making techniques and a deep understanding of the shape of the Duoqiu teapot, Teacher Hui Xiangyun has vividly displayed the beauty of this teapot. Every line of the teapot body is just right, neither too ostentatious nor lacking in reserved beauty. The proportion of the teapot body is accurate, giving people a sense of harmony and stability. The whole teapot is full of vitality, showing a graceful and magnanimous temperament in its simplicity. It is truly a superior work for collection, making tea, and tea tasting.
When we gently hold this Zhuni Dahongpao Duoqiu teapot by Teacher Hui Xiangyun, make a cup of fragrant tea, and watch the wisps of steam rising and the fragrance of tea spreading, we seem to be able to feel Teacher Hui Xiangyun's concentration and perseverance during the creation process, as well as his infinite love for purple clay art. This teapot not only holds the mellow taste of the fragrant tea but also carries the profoundness of the thousand-year-old tea ceremony culture. While savoring the fragrance of the tea, we can also appreciate the unique charm of purple clay art and understand the craftsmanship spirit of traditional artisans.