Zhao

Ascending Mount Jingmai, one is drawn for the sea of clouds and the ancient tea. Nuogang Village in Jingmai Village especially captured my imagination. To me, this is what a fairyland should look like. Lush forests embrace the thousand-year-old village; mists linger around this auspicious ancestral land. Nuogang Village is part of Jingmai Village Committee in Huimin Town, Lancang County, Pu'er City, Yunnan Province. All 121 households are Dai people. Suitable for growing crops such as tea and rice, the tea industry is an important source of income. Despite fluctuating tea prices over the years, the price of tea from Nuogang Village has never dropped. This is due to two reasons: First, the trees are old, with the oldest being over 800 years and the youngest more than a century, producing a rich and powerful flavor. Second, the tea is ecologically grown in deep mountains where villagers voluntarily refrain from using pesticides, preserving its natural taste. I have visited Mount Jingmai twice, staying both times in Nuogang Village. The first visit was years ago when there were no guesthouses in the village. I was hosted by a Dai family who made tea, refusing any payment for accommodation and meals. I…

[Stone Gourd] A gourd cup for a simple life, its shape with tension holds a wondrous charm. The sound of stone resonates far, and with tripod legs, it heralds new poetry. Period: Qing Dynasty Made by: Chen Mansheng Description: The body of the pot is trapezoidal, with soft and smooth curves, giving an appearance that is thick and rustic. The spout is straight, simple yet powerful, often integrated into the overall shape of the pot. The handle is mostly in the form of an inverted triangle, complementing the shape of the pot to create a harmonious aesthetic effect. The lid is flat and the knob bridge-shaped, clean and neat with appropriate proportions, fully embodying the characteristic of exquisite craftsmanship. [Antique] Its might without a drum is like a drum, its scholarly belly pays homage to the sages of old. Low-key and refined, it cultivates diligently, joyfully serving as a sage of the earth. Period: Modern Made by: Gu Jingzhou Description: The Antique teapot is a classic type among many styles of zisha teapots. This teapot has a plump, sturdy neck that contrasts with the lower shoulder. The body is large, squat, and flat. The rim is wide, and the mother-and-child…

The Drum-bellied Handle Pot and the square seal on the bottom reading “Made by Shao Yunsi” Early purple clay pots were mostly handle pots, as they were not used for steeping tea, but rather as water-heating utensils. With a handle, it was convenient to place them over fire or on a stove. Purple clay handle pots have been excavated from Song Dynasty kiln sites in Yangjiaoshan, Yixing, and the earliest dated purple clay pot in the Nanjing Museum collection is also a handle pot. It is said that Zhao Liang, one of the four great masters of the Ming Dynasty, specialized in making purple clay handle pots, but actual examples are hard to find. Some may exist without his mark, leaving their attribution uncertain. After the late Ming Dynasty, purple clay pots began to be used directly for steeping tea, but the handle did not disappear. To this day, handle pots are preserved as traditional purple clay forms. The pot shown in the figure is a purple clay handle pot, measuring 13.4 cm tall overall, with a flush-fitting lid, a flattened round knob, and a three-curved spout. Its body is shaped like a drum, both the lid and the base…

For over a century, Liubao tea has been continuously exported through the ancient tea ship route into Southeast Asia, deeply integrating into the daily lives of local Chinese communities. The September monsoon breezes across the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, adding a cool touch to Malacca's evenings. In front of Wu Kunlun's house, in a simple tea pavilion, more than a dozen tea enthusiasts gather around, savoring the fragrant aroma of Liubao tea, chatting and enjoying each other's company in a harmonious atmosphere. These tea gatherings have continued for over a decade, with most participants being avid fans of Liubao tea. Over the years, they've formed bonds over their shared love for tea, spending time together tasting, discussing, and purchasing tea, with Liubao tea always being the central topic of conversation. For many Southeast Asian tea enthusiasts, the cup of tea holds not just the rich and aromatic Liubao tea but also encapsulates the diverse social dynamics and sentiments of their homeland. Because Liubao tea, through its export along the ancient tea ship route in Southeast Asia, has witnessed the region's changes over more than a century and become deeply ingrained in the daily lives of local Chinese communities.…

During the War of Resistance against Japan, the central region was occupied. This period of history is a heavy topic for our nation, but for Yunnan, it did indeed receive more attention during that time, with a high density of intellectuals and skilled craftsmen coming to Yunnan, leaving behind many legacies. And Dianhong is among these legacies, a very brilliant gem. Father of Dianhong - Feng Shaoqiu Feng Shaoqiu is known as the father of Dianhong. Those of us who have truly studied and delved into tea appreciation have a different feeling about Feng Shaoqiu. He was a true master. Among the tea makers of his generation, in terms of how to shape the quality of fresh leaves and varieties, and the precise and delicate handling of tea, Feng Shaoqiu was the top person. His combination of theory and practice, his integration of knowledge and action, was at a very high level. Of course, this might be a subjective expression, so let's talk about an objective standard. △Feng Shaoqiu, image source from the Internet When Feng Shaoqiu later went to Shanghai to conduct export inspections, he had a nickname – "Feng Nose." Because with a sniff of a tea, he…

The Southern Song Dynasty: Zhou Jichang, Lin Tinggui, et al., “Arhats Drinking Tea” Have you watched the recent hit Song Dynasty drama, "Dream of the Red Chamber"? Actress Liu Yifei plays the lead character Zhao Pan'er, who is the owner of Zhao's Teahouse and stuns viewers with her fluid tea preparation skills in her first appearance. From a tea enthusiast's perspective, the most captivating aspect of "Dream of the Red Chamber" is its portrayal of "tea culture," filled with ancient charm and texture, with tea utensils and tea-making techniques largely true to Song Dynasty style. Let’s now appreciate the exquisite saucers used by ancient people for drinking tea. In the Song Dynasty, tea was prepared by "beating and stirring" using a tea whisk to stir and strike the tea broth; saucers were designed to prevent scalding hands. Southern Song to Yuan Dynasty: Gilt Silver Flower and Bird Patterned Tea Saucer and Saucer – The Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA Collection Ruyao Porcelain Northern Song Dynasty: Ruyao Sky Blue Glazed Paulownia Petal Shaped Saucer – British Museum Collection Guan Porcelain Song Dynasty: Guan Porcelain Celadon Saucer – Palace Museum Southern Song Dynasty Guan Porcelain Saucer - Excavated from the Southern Song…

Paradise Mountain stands as a divine presence in the hearts of the people of Changning. Mr. Ou Zhide, a writer from Yunnan Province, once wrote: “‘Paradise’ is the pursuit of an idyllic place, a paradise that people yearn for on earth. Astonishingly, there is a Paradise Mountain in Changning, and its name wasn’t given by contemporary people to attract tourism benefits; it has been passed down from our ancestors. Paradise has had the beauty of a fairyland since ancient times…” Paradise Mountain, with its picturesque landscapes of mountains, water, rocks, and forests, high-altitude wetlands nestled among peaks, natural scenery created by rock springs and tree vines, and flowers dancing amidst the forest, resembles a paradise on earth. It is a “natural gene bank for flora and fauna,” where many species are rare in China or even worldwide. Just like the Paradise Big-Head Tea, Red Flower Oil Tea, Water Fir, Red Cypress, Rhododendrons, Magnolias, and Long-Stamen Magnolias, the wild tea trees bestowed by nature have found their “haven” here, coexisting and thriving with other flora and fauna as integral parts of a complete ecosystem. Located to the north of Changning County, Paradise Mountain is part of the southern range of the…

The late renowned painter Mr. Tang Yun, not only excelled in painting but was also a famous expert in cultural relics appraisal at home and abroad. Before his passing, he was a member of the National Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee. He had a particular fondness for Yixing purple clay teapots and owned more than ten of the famous "Mansheng Teapots," with both the quantity and quality of his collection unparalleled in the world. The actual number of surviving "Mansheng Teapots" may not be very scarce, for two reasons: firstly, they were made during the relatively recent Qing Dynasty period of Qianlong and Jiaqing; secondly, the original production quantity was large, numbering in the thousands. However, those we can see today are extremely rare. I recently went through auction catalogs from major Beijing auction houses over the past few years and did not find a single "Mansheng Teapot," which is quite puzzling. Perhaps it's because collectors cherish them as treasures and are unwilling to part with them. The so-called "Mansheng Teapot" originated with Chen Hongshou (1768-1822), known by his pen name Mansheng, a famous scholar from Qiantang, Zhejiang, who lived during the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods of the Qing Dynasty. Alongside…

Zhao Lingzhi was a renowned poet from the late Northern Song to early Southern Song dynasties, known for his profound literary accomplishments and calligraphic talent. His work, The Tea Grant Postscript, is housed in the Tokyo National Museum in Japan, making it a precious cultural heritage. Overview of the Work The Tea Grant Postscript is a work of running script, consisting of fifty-seven characters spread across nine lines. This calligraphy piece showcases Zhao Lingzhi's unique artistic style through its straightforward yet lively brushwork and composition. It subtly reflects the elegance of Dongpo's style while also demonstrating the author's concise literary expression. Content of the Work The Tea Grant Postscript is a letter that touches on the tea-granting system of the Song Dynasty, which was a form of etiquette between monarch and minister. In the letter, Zhao Lingzhi mentions that due to continuous heavy rain, he received greetings and pears and chestnuts as gifts from the other party, for which he expresses gratitude. He also notes that he was fortunate enough to receive tea from the emperor and wishes to offer one cake of it to his esteemed benefactor. The phrase "I hope you cherish this time" in the letter conveys…