It is often said that tea tasting is an art, not just the steps of making tea, but also the decorations and tea sets on the tea banquet. A good purple clay teapot, no matter from the shape, lines, or even the calligraphy and flower decals on the body, is enough to become the focus of the tea party, elevating the purple clay teapot to the level of art. Today I will talk about the decorative art on the purple clay teapot.

Reflecting the temperament of the literati - the craftsmanship of characterization

There are two main categories of carving and decoration techniques on purple clay teapots: text and painting. The engraving craftsmanship on the purple clay pot is not just about carving a picture on the pot surface, but also includes the integration of calligraphy, painting and pottery carving. This craft pays attention to the proportion and size of the calligraphy or pattern and the pot body. As long as it is handled properly, the charm of the depiction can greatly improve the overall artistic atmosphere.

Calligraphy and engraving never conflict, and often both are placed on the pot body at the same time. The calligraphy and carvings of teacher Chen Honglin's square stone ladles can express the leisure and calm state of mind when drinking tea. If you look closely, you can feel the charm.

[Square Stone Scoop] Fully hand-carved purple clay teapot

 

The pursuit of natural and realistic-flower stacking technology

Naturally, it is not an easy task to make the pile of flowers on the purple clay pot look realistic, and it requires great attention to the skill of the craftsman. Characters and scenery are usually the most common ones, but flowers and birds are also used as themes. Different from the engraving process, the flower stacking process uses the same clay as the pot body, which is piled up layer by layer on the pot body to form a more three-dimensional pattern. So you have to take into account a lot of details to make it lifelike. Sometimes craftsmen will use stacking and engraving techniques at the same time, using the latter to process some details to make the overall pattern more detailed.

The style of stacking flowers can be more restrained and restrained, but there are also magnificent works, which commonly appear on some purple clay pots with flowers and birds as the theme. Teacher Chen Caimin’s Peony Jade Milk is one of them. The purple clay teapot features peonies as the protagonist, and looks gorgeous and delicate thanks to the flower stacking technique. The whole peony relief is naturally undistorted. You can imagine that when making tea, the peonies dance with the pot, which is pleasing to the eye.

[Peony Jade Milk] Huanglongshan original mineral red clay carved teapot

 

In fact, the production process or decoration process of purple clay teapots requires the exquisite skills of craftsmen, and it is impossible to replace them with machines. Each work is unique and reveals the author's thoughts, which is why the purple clay teapot is called a work of art on the tea banquet.

 

Suggested reading:

[Changes of Tea Party] Do you need atmosphere to drink tea? Ming and Qing tea banquets where atmosphere is paramount

[Easy to learn about purple clay pots: raising pots]

More Zisha Teapots: All Zisha Teapot