Believe it or not, most of us have had the experience of keeping pets from a young age. When we were little, our parents were usually the main caretakers, so our experience was more about having fun.
Later on, when you became financially independent, you had more options for pets—cats, dogs, fish, birds, and so on—but how many successful experiences did you have in raising them?
A Tea lover's pet is an emotional bond, different from typical pets, as a tea pet can truly be kept without being discarded or abandoned.
The pet of a tea lover is known as a tea pet.
A tea pet, as its name suggests, is nurtured with tea Water. It is actually a small handicraft made of purple clay or yellow Mud, such as elephants, turtles, toads, Pixiu, pigs, and so on.
Different tea pets carry different meanings; some symbolize wealth and contentment, while others represent happiness and good fortune. People collect them according to their preferences and place them on their tea tables.
A beautiful tea pet is one that a tea lover spends time and effort slowly “cultivating.”
When drinking tea, a tea lover gently waters their pet with tea or brushes it with a tea-dipped brush. Over time, this process imparts a tea hue, making the pet look warm and appealing, with a fragrant aroma.
Some tea pets are exquisitely crafted and possess high collection value. In particular, those Handmade by artisans have great potential for appreciation. Some tea pets, utilizing hollow structures, produce interesting effects like bubbling or spitting water when hot water is poured over them.
To summarize the method of nurturing a tea pet, the key lies in “not complexity but sincerity.”
1. During the nurturing process, only use tea water, not plain water, to wash the pet. This will give it a smooth and warm feel to the touch.
2. Like a purple clay teapot, a tea pet can increase in value over time. There are two ways to start nurturing: artificial “fermentation,” which involves soaking the new pet in a tea bucket for 2-4 days based on your preference, achieving rapid absorption; natural “fermentation” takes time, gradually producing the desired effect.
3. You don't need to use Pu'er tea exclusively to nurture a tea pet, although Pu'er tea's quality makes it easier to see results quickly.
4. Avoid using leftover tea to soak your tea pet. Instead, gently brush it with a fine brush while drinking tea.
5. The quality of the sand material isn't a major issue, but daily maintenance is essential: sweep it with a brush every day and periodically polish it with a tea cloth to maintain a certain level of luster. It will be easy to see when your pet starts to bubble or open its eyes.
6. If your local water is too hard, with high levels of alkalinity and mineralization (when soaking, boil the water and let it cool to room temperature before using, and remember to change the water daily).
7. Pay attention to “dry and wet nurturing” (don't always keep it submerged; instead, wet-nurture it for two days followed by three days of dry-nurturing, allowing the pet's pores to breathe). If your pet becomes blotchy, don't worry; for dark colors, you can soak it in boiled Pu'er or black tea, wipe it dry, and repeat several times to alleviate or solve the problem; for light colors, try green or flower tea.
8. The principles of nurturing a tea pet and a purple clay teapot are the same. Of the six types of tea, only dark tea, oolong, and Pu'er (both raw and ripe) are best, but you should choose only one. Before starting, boil the tea pet for a few hours (you don't have to boil it continuously, and the longer the better).
9. Just like living pets, tea pets also require careful care, but some tea lovers make mistakes by using different types of tea to water their tea pets. Additionally, when choosing a tea pet, consider factors such as size, meaning, clay material, and craftsmanship.
Source: Purple Clay Encyclopedia, information shared for educational purposes, please contact if there are any copyright issues.