The Chinese tea pot made from Yixing clay is one of the most important and stylish features of the Chinese tea culture. It is used in the traditional method of brewing tea which can be traced back to in 15th century China. The special clay comes from the town of Yi Xing which can be found in the eastern province of Jiangsu.
The History Of The Yi Xing teapot
Archaeologists have excavated some antique teapots near Yi Xing that date back to its existence during the Song Dynasty or the 10th century. Some of these vintage teapots were intact. Based on the writings of Zhou Gaogi, an author from the Ming Dynasty, a Yi Xing monk from the Jinsha (translates to "Golden Sand") Temple created a beautiful and high quality teapot made from the clay in the area. Eventually these teapots became in demand among the scholars until word spread and the fame of the Yi Xing teapot became known.
The Teapot In The 20th Century
The Yi Xing teapot is not made in the city of Yi Xing but in Dingshan (sometimes referred to as Dingshu), which is a town within the administrative area of Yi Xing. When you visit the area, you will find an almost limitless supply of teapots sold in hundreds of shops around the streets. This has attracted a number of tourists, particularly the local Chinese. The biggest factory that produces the famous Yi Xing teapot is the Yixing Zisha Factory Number 1, which started in 1958 and manufactures high quality pottery, displaying their products in an enormous commercial show room.
How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Yi Xing teapot?
The price range of the famous Yi Xing teapot is very wide, ranging from only a few yuan to thousands. At a recent auction in 2010, a teapot was auctioned for 12.32 million. There are teapots that have been labelled as Chinese National treasures and teapots that have been collected by local museums. These teapots are displayed for viewing, and held in some esteem as some of the finest examples of the craft.
The appraisal of this particular art form is based on certain features such as, the age of the teapot, the type of clay used, the artist that crafted it, the form (or theme) and how it was manufactured. The most expensive teapots are handmade (or all hand make) with the use of wood and bamboo tools. The highly prized artisan teapots are usually made for special gifts and are rarely, if ever for sale. The less expensive teapots which are commercially made and mass produced are manufactured through the process of slipcasting or molds. There are many different forms of these teapots ranging from the traditional to the fanciful; and it is possible to find some beautifully designed, nicely rendered pots made of quality clay amid the thousands of commercially made teapots.
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