On a tea table, utensils are silent yet hold the charm and spirit of tea rituals. Today, Tongxinshe Teahouse is pleased to recommend a piece – the Purple Clay Octagonal Four-legged Tea Boat. With its warmth from hand-carved craftsmanship, well-proportioned dimensions, elegant material, and clever design, it integrates practicality and artistic connotation, turning every act of pouring water and placing utensils into a peaceful moment of communicating with tea.
The name "tea boat" comes from its old design resembling a boat on water. Now, with its delicate size of 16cm in diameter, 3cm in height, and 12cm in width, it becomes a "stable base" on the tea table: whether it is a regular-sized purple clay teapot or a set of tea cups, they fit perfectly on it, taking no extra space while stably holding the utensils. Its 130ml capacity is sufficient to collect the tea soup flowing during the tea ritual. No matter how you pour or distribute the tea, the water flows into the lower layer, keeping the tabletop always clean and tidy without a single drop of water stain – this is its most considerate protection for the tea setting.
The beauty of an utensil lies first in its material. The tea boat is made of purple-gray clay, which is as smooth as condensed fat. After being fired at high temperature, the body is firm yet warm, showing a brown-purple-gray color overall with a soft pear-skin-like luster on the surface. When touched, you can feel the unique texture of purple clay – a simple texture that even time cannot fade. More thoughtfully, it requires no complicated maintenance: after the tea ritual, just rinse it gently with clean water and wipe it dry with a soft cloth, and it will be as clean as new immediately, as calm as when you first saw it.
The ingenuity of the tea boat lies even more in its details. The top is covered with a tin lid, with copper wrapped around the edge. This not only prevents water vapor from eroding the utensil body (making it resistant to rust) but also adds a layer of calm metallic luster to the overall color, ensuring it remains in good condition over time. On the tin lid, there are carefully hand-carved coin-shaped holes, which hold double meanings: on one hand, they implicitly convey the auspicious meaning of "gathering water as wealth", adding a bit of life's expectations to the tea table; on the other hand, they quietly take on the role of water diversion – excess tea flows into the lower layer through these small holes. Combined with the 130ml capacity design, the tea table always stays neat and tidy without any mess.
Looking at its shape, the octagonal outline is neat and clear, and the four legs stand firmly. Matching the proportions of 16cm in diameter and 12cm in width, it sits upright on the table without leaning, exuding a unique "quiet stability". There is an archaic seal engraved on the bottom, like a mark of time stamped on this utensil, adding a touch of classical elegance. When the purple clay teapot is steadily placed on it, and the tea soup quietly flows into the 130ml cavity through the holes on the tin lid, the noise of the tea ritual seems to be soothed by the stability of this utensil. The flowing water fades into invisibility, and the mind returns to tranquility – this is the unique artistic conception that the Purple Clay Octagonal Four-legged Tea Boat brings to the tea setting.
For Tongxinshe, a good tea utensil is a "silent companion" in tea rituals. This Purple Clay Octagonal Four-legged Tea Boat, with the warmth of hand-carving, dimensions suitable for tea settings, the warmth of purple-gray clay, the durability of tin-copper combination, and the ingenuity and implied meanings hidden in its shape, makes every tea ritual more calm and elegant. If you also prefer the simplicity and stability of a tea table, you might as well bring it to your tea table. Amidst pouring water and placing utensils, feel the resonance between the utensil, the tea, and your heart.