Purple clay Teapots are the pride of Chinese Tea culture, and they remain a shining gem in the annals of Chinese Tea culture.
Yixing purple clay teapots are a marvel within the splendid tapestry of Chinese tea culture. They are not only a brilliant outcome of the development of Chinese material civilization but also a comprehensive crystallization of the progress of Chinese culture. Their creation and prosperity were both a natural evolution of tea culture history and a significant impetus for enhancing the form, quality, and appeal of tea art.
The artistic transformation in the making of purple clay teapots has not only expanded the intellectual connotations of tea culture but also enriched its spiritual domain. Chinese tea culture itself advocates a simple and noble attitude towards life, but during the Tang and Song dynasties, the elaborate tea-drinking rituals overshadowed the spiritual essence, leaving behind only rigid formalities. Drinking Tea was more about performing rituals, and savoring tea became an act of merely playing with it. The popularity of purple clay teapots eliminated these complex tea-drinking procedures, allowing individuals to brew and drink tea on their own. In this simple and unadorned manner of drinking, scholars could fully engage their thoughts and experience the natural vitality of purple clay, which imbues one with a sense of warmth, dignity, tranquility, decorum, plainness, and elegance.
The popularity and dissemination of purple clay teapots also brought about changes in the art of teapot making. Starting from Shi Dabin, there was a departure from traditional designs, leading to the creation of smaller purple clay teapots. Zhou Gaoqi, in his work “The System of Famous Yixing Teapots,” states, “When used with real tea, a teapot is best paired with fresh water heated over a fire, steeped and sipped immediately to fully appreciate the color, aroma, taste, and fragrance. Therefore, teapots should be small rather than large, shallow rather than deep, with a lid that fits loosely rather than tightly, so that the tea and its aroma can meld harmoniously.” Feng Kebing also explained the trend of small purple clay teapots in “Tea Notes,” stating, “For teapots, those made of clay are preferred, and smaller ones are more valuable. Each guest should have their own teapot, allowing them to pour and drink at their own leisure, which is where the true enjoyment lies. Small teapots ensure that the aroma does not dissipate and the flavor is not delayed.”
The elegance of small purple clay teapots offers not just the true taste of tea but also embodies a unified concept of heaven, earth, humanity, and tea.