The charm of purple clay pots has long transcended the definition of "tea-making tools". Since the Ming Dynasty, when Gongchun crafted the first tree gall pot, they have been infused with literati aesthetics and philosophy—incorporating tea poetry, painting, and calligraphy. Running your fingers over the pot body, you touch not just warm clay, but the texture of centuries of culture. This explains why scholars like Su Shi and Wen Zhengming have been inseparable from purple clay throughout history, treating it as a desk treasure to convey emotions and aspirations through tea.
The newly arrived "Qin Xin · Top Grade Dahongpao Zhu Clay Sun Hat Pot" at Tongxin She Teahouse is a contemporary interpretation of a classic style. Named for its lid resembling a Jiangnan sun hat, this design can be traced back to Shi Dabin, the master potter of the Ming Dynasty. Over hundreds of years, while details of the pot body, spout, and handle have evolved with the times, the essence remains: that sharp sun hat-shaped lid, like a literati's "Dongpo hat", embodying both the simplicity of farming civilization and the pride of scholar-officials.
Potter Qin Xin was born into a Yixing purple clay family. Her uncle served as the director of the former Jiangsu Ceramic Research Institute, and her uncle-in-law was the矿长 of Huanglongshan No.4 Well and the director of Yixing Purple Clay Raw Material General Factory. Entering the industry in 2009, she studied under Xu Lanjun and received guidance from He Daohong and other master potters. This "Sun Hat Pot" uses her specially developed "Top Grade Dahongpao Zhu Clay", with a warm, rosy hue and high iron content. Fired at high temperature, it features a fine texture that develops a "vermilion with a hint of嫣red" patina when nourished.
With a capacity of 150cc, this pot embodies the literati philosophy that "drinking alone achieves spiritual clarity, while drinking with two brings joy". The sleek lines, airtight fit between the sun hat lid and pot mouth, and smooth water flow reflect both practicality and elegance. Whether brewing the high fragrance of oolong tea or the richness of pu'er, it preserves the tea's true flavor. The breathability and heat retention of Zhu clay allow each infusion to unfold layer by layer, echoing the literati verse: "One vessel contains the world, half a pot simmers spring and autumn."
Qin Xin's "Sun Hat Pot" is a tribute to tradition and a contemporary deconstruction of purple clay art. Rooted in family heritage and crafted with ingenuity, she breaks through conventions while inheriting the essence—proficient in brewing oolong and pu'er, and mastering purple clay materials. The result is not just a practical tea utensil, but a cultural carrier meant to be admired, collected, and savored. As Tongxin She Teahouse aims to convey: the value of purple clay pots lies in "utensils carrying the Dao"—when clay meets fire, and artisans meet cultural heritage, a pot gains a timeless vitality beyond space and time.
Visit Tongxin She Teahouse to experience this "Qin Xin · Top Grade Dahongpao Zhu Clay Sun Hat Pot", and discover how purple clay art encapsulates poetry, painting, and history in every detail.