China is the hometown of tea. It is said that the Chinese people began to drink tea in the Shennong era, which was about more than 4,700 years ago. Those who drink tea have their own ways of arrangement. Tea enthusiasts are often troubled by the thought: "For an exquisite tea table setting and handmade tea utensils, it seems a bit out of place to place an electric kettle." The tea-boiling and water-boiling utensils determine half of the aesthetic sense of the tea table. Among the tea-boiling utensils, purple clay ones are the best. For literati and refined scholars, a purple clay tea-boiling kettle is not only convenient for boiling tea and water, but more importantly, it represents the mood and sentiment of "the sound of the wind in the pine trees and the bamboo stove, and people calling each other while holding the teapot". Placed on the tea table, it is neither ostentatious nor noisy, and forms a unique scenery on its own. And the ore veins of Huanglong Mountain in Dingshan, Yixing are recognized as the best purple clay ore sources. The most prominent feature of the materials from Huanglong Mountain is their excellent air permeability. Tea brewed with them is fragrant, mellow, and it is truly a great tool for making good tea. Today, with full enthusiasm, we are going to unveil a treasure with both artistic value and practical charm for all tea friends - Wang Yufei's Carambola-shaped Purple Clay Teapot.
This teapot has a capacity of only 100cc. It fits comfortably in the hand, being delicate and unique. The clay material is sourced from the precious old purple clay of the Qing Dynasty. It feels delicate and smooth to the touch, as if one can sense the precipitation of time. When used to make tea, as time passes, the body of the teapot will gradually emit a charming luster, just like condensing a hundred years of time in one teapot.
The creator, Wang Yufei, a rising star in the field of purple clay teapots born in Yixing, Jiangsu in 1993, has already achieved remarkable success in this field. In 2014, he became a disciple of Wang Xiuju, a senior arts and crafts master, and devoted himself to studying the art of making teapots. With his love for and talent in pottery art, he was awarded the qualification of assistant arts and crafts master in 2017. In 2019, his work "Fragrant Beam Teapot" won the second prize in the All-handmade Pottery Competition, fully demonstrating his extraordinary strength.
Wang Yufei's Carambola-shaped Purple Clay Teapot is an innovative interpretation of the traditional Siting style. The body of the teapot adopts a hexagonal shape, which resembles a plump carambola. The all-handmade inlayed body-tube technique fully shows the ingenuity. The six pieces of clay are perfectly jointed, and the tendon lines are smooth and natural. The body of the teapot is slightly concave, and the spout, knob, lid, and handle are all crafted using this technique. When looking down from above, the lines spread out like starlight, perfectly integrating geometric beauty with natural charm.
The body of the teapot is upright, bright, and lively, possessing both masculine strength and gentle beauty. The edges and corners are distinct but not harsh, and the shape is simple and unsophisticated yet vivid and extraordinary. With his exquisite craftsmanship, Wang Yufei has carved every detail just right. Without excessive embellishment, it reveals the true essence.
In Tongxin She Teahouse, this Carambola-shaped Purple Clay Teapot is not only an excellent tool for making tea but also an artistic masterpiece worthy of careful appreciation and collection. When two or three close friends gather around, using it to brew a pot of fragrant tea and chatting freely about life; or placing it on the desk as an elegant ornament for tea lovers, it can add a touch of leisurely elegance to life.