China is famous for its tea and tea sets, especially unique Yixing purple clay teapots. Some Chinese tea lovers see collecting purple clay teapots as a great pleasure. Mr. Liu Tianbao has evolved from an amateur teapot buyer to a master purple clay teapot collector.
The Costly Lesson
As a child, Liu was greatly influenced by his father's love of purple clay flowerpots. He was crazy about miniature gardens, so there were a lot of flower pots made of Yixing purple clay in their home. Liu learned the special qualities of purple clay from his father.
Back in the 1970's, Beijing did not have as many antique markets as today. The only places featuring traditional handicrafts were Tian Qiao, Shi Cha Hai, and De Sheng Men. Following his father's example, Liu visited these venues to hunt for valuable things.
One day, Liu hit a second-hand curio market. He purchased nearly 50 secondhand Yixing purple clay teapots! Then he hurried home excitedly, and dipped all the treasures into a tank. He was petrified by what he saw. The handles and spouts dropped one by one off the teapots. It turns out he bought many worthless, broken teapots pieced together by glue. He was taught a costly lesson.
Destiny's Pot
In 1986, Liu made a trip to Tianjin. At a local antique market he took a fancy to a quaint purple clay teapot. Regrettably, the price was more than he could afford, and the seller refused to bargain with Liu. In the end, Liu had to part with the pot reluctantly. However, this was not the end. In 1996, Liu unexpectedly discovered the same teapot at a secondhand antique market in Beijing. He didn't skip the chance a second time. He bought it right away.
Based on his research, the creator of this purple clay teapot was Pei Shimin, one of the most distinguished master potters of the Qing dynasty. The teapot was covered with a layer of yellow glaze. Only a master at could complete such a design at that time, as it required the pot to be placed in a kiln at very high temperatures, not once, but twice. At present, you can only find this type of purple clay teapot at the Forbidden City in Beijing.
A Pot is Like a Son
Liu treasures his purple clay teapots to the uttermost, for he knows their intrinsic worth. One day he purchased a rare purple clay teapot from the late Qing dynasty. He felt very glad. He put the pot into his backpack with great care, and then rode away on his bike. On the way, he kept singing his favorite songs.
But all of sudden, an old man walked in front of Liu. To prevent from bumping into the old man, Liu rolled down and off his bicycle. In the blink of an eye, he gripped his teapot fast, and let his hipbone, instead of the teapot, hit the ground first. As a result, a hipbone fracture laid him up for twelve months. Whenever his friends referred to his incident, they would gasp in admiration at how Liu loves his purple clay teapots much more than his bones.
Now Liu has been collecting purple clay teapots for over thirty years. He describes each of his unique teapots as his son. His collections prove that he has a sharp eye for purple clay teapots.
Liu thinks an Yixing purple clay teapot inevitably involves its creator's ingenuity, workmanship, and vision. And he says a purple clay teapot embodies its collector's ability to find good things, and a little luck.
The Costly Lesson
As a child, Liu was greatly influenced by his father's love of purple clay flowerpots. He was crazy about miniature gardens, so there were a lot of flower pots made of Yixing purple clay in their home. Liu learned the special qualities of purple clay from his father.
Back in the 1970's, Beijing did not have as many antique markets as today. The only places featuring traditional handicrafts were Tian Qiao, Shi Cha Hai, and De Sheng Men. Following his father's example, Liu visited these venues to hunt for valuable things.
One day, Liu hit a second-hand curio market. He purchased nearly 50 secondhand Yixing purple clay teapots! Then he hurried home excitedly, and dipped all the treasures into a tank. He was petrified by what he saw. The handles and spouts dropped one by one off the teapots. It turns out he bought many worthless, broken teapots pieced together by glue. He was taught a costly lesson.
Destiny's Pot
In 1986, Liu made a trip to Tianjin. At a local antique market he took a fancy to a quaint purple clay teapot. Regrettably, the price was more than he could afford, and the seller refused to bargain with Liu. In the end, Liu had to part with the pot reluctantly. However, this was not the end. In 1996, Liu unexpectedly discovered the same teapot at a secondhand antique market in Beijing. He didn't skip the chance a second time. He bought it right away.
Based on his research, the creator of this purple clay teapot was Pei Shimin, one of the most distinguished master potters of the Qing dynasty. The teapot was covered with a layer of yellow glaze. Only a master at could complete such a design at that time, as it required the pot to be placed in a kiln at very high temperatures, not once, but twice. At present, you can only find this type of purple clay teapot at the Forbidden City in Beijing.
A Pot is Like a Son
Liu treasures his purple clay teapots to the uttermost, for he knows their intrinsic worth. One day he purchased a rare purple clay teapot from the late Qing dynasty. He felt very glad. He put the pot into his backpack with great care, and then rode away on his bike. On the way, he kept singing his favorite songs.
But all of sudden, an old man walked in front of Liu. To prevent from bumping into the old man, Liu rolled down and off his bicycle. In the blink of an eye, he gripped his teapot fast, and let his hipbone, instead of the teapot, hit the ground first. As a result, a hipbone fracture laid him up for twelve months. Whenever his friends referred to his incident, they would gasp in admiration at how Liu loves his purple clay teapots much more than his bones.
Now Liu has been collecting purple clay teapots for over thirty years. He describes each of his unique teapots as his son. His collections prove that he has a sharp eye for purple clay teapots.
Liu thinks an Yixing purple clay teapot inevitably involves its creator's ingenuity, workmanship, and vision. And he says a purple clay teapot embodies its collector's ability to find good things, and a little luck.
About the Author:
Specialist J. Jia has studied Chinese culture, calligraphy, and arts & crafts including Chinese teapots for 20+ years. Occasionally, he endorses the work of certain potters. See samples of quality Yixing teapots here.
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