Among the many types of purple Clay Teapots, what shape do experienced tea connoisseurs prefer?
Experienced tea drinkers have sampled a wide variety of teas and naturally understand the aroma-enhancing capabilities of purple clay teapots. They collect various types of teapots, and among them, round-shaped teapots are the most frequently chosen.
What are the appealing features of round-shaped purple clay teapots?
1. Easy to Handle
For a tea connoisseur who enjoys sipping tea, a purple clay Teapot is an object that should never be far from their hands. Whenever they have free time, they like to start brewing tea. Why do most people lean towards round-shaped teapots?
After brewing tea, round-shaped teapots are easy to hold and play with. When brewing tea, hot tea water can be poured over the teapot, allowing the color of the tea to seep into the teapot. After drinking the tea, you can hold the teapot in your hand and caress it all over, which is enjoyable. Over time, the luster and water color of the teapot will become outstanding.
With a square teapot, one can only admire it on the table. Square teapots have sharp edges, making them uncomfortable to hold and caress, unlike the smooth circumference of a round teapot. Generally, when brewing tea, people like to rotate the lid of the teapot. The rim of the lid, soaked in tea water, rotates smoothly and feels good. However, the lids of square or ribbed teapots cannot be moved, which may cause inconvenience during tea brewing.
2. Enhances the Flavor of the Tea
Round teapots lack hard angles, allowing water to flow smoothly inside. This enables water and tea leaves to blend gently, enhancing the flavor of the tea. Spherical high-mountain Oolong tea can fully expand within the space of a round teapot. When brewing oolong tea using a round purple clay teapot, after adding water, the water flows along the walls of the teapot, better combining the tea leaves with the water, thus enhancing the flavor of the tea.
Square teapots are more aesthetically pleasing than practical. Tea leaves are less likely to roll in the angular body of the teapot, causing water to stagnate. Strip-shaped tea is suitable for brewing in square teapots as it can reduce the roasted flavor of the tea.
The collection of purple clay teapots is not about hiding them on shelves or in cabinets. A true enthusiast of purple clay teapots will periodically take out each cherished piece for appreciation and handling. The key to purple clay teapots lies in nurturing them; if neglected, even a masterpiece by a renowned artist remains ordinary and fails to reach its full potential. With the current resurgence in collecting purple clay teapots, this is undoubtedly a positive trend, indicating people's love and appreciation for this traditional craft. However, it is worth noting that some people simply place their purchased teapots in cabinets at home and ignore them thereafter. This is an indication of inexperience. In fact, purple clay teapots must be used and nurtured, as locals in Yixing commonly say, they must be “disc-played” daily. Over time, through such “disc-playing,” purple clay teapots can achieve an effect of increased value.