Yixing Feature Yixing The Father of Wu De

Whenever anyone asks Master Lin what kind of to use, he always responds, "There is purple-sand and there is no second." Yixing have been married to Tea for five hundred years. Water is the "Mother of Tea" and purple-sand pots the "Father". Together, they have brought countless smiles of joy, healing of enemies and celebration of friends. There is also a magic in a well-seasoned purple-sand pot that suggests something which is so simple, and yet transcends the ordinary.

here is perhaps no art form of art meant to sit on the shelf and ture and form; we even ding them that has married itself to Tea be admired. The beauty of tea art to hear the sound they make. Thus, and more passion- is only expressed properly as a liv- the space around and between the ately than the purple-sand teapots ing art. The pots want to be used. teapots becomes just as important to from Yixing, the “Pottery City”. The They develop a soft, silky sheen over the composition of the piece—the teapots made in Yixing often capture time the more they find themselves balance between the button and lid, all the elegance and simplicity of the in the company of good leaves and the mouth, spout, the handle and , while at the same time, water—becoming more and more base are all important features when hinting ever so slightly at the tran- beautiful as they are used. In fact, crafting an Yixing . scendence the ceremony can inspire. finding a way to balance the ele- Echoing the favorite analogy When artists master the craft, Yixing gance and function of a teapot is of our eldest teacher Lao Tzu, the teapots can encourage us to find the what mastery of Yixing art is all usefulness of the teapot also lies in harmony we are seeking when we sit about. It is not enough that an Yix- its space—the tea flows through it, for tea; for they bring with them the ing teapot be inspiring to look at; just as the Dao flows through us spirit of the Earth, the art of tea and it must also improve our tea as well when we are clean and pure. And the simplicity of true living. The best as summon a second glance even then, when we brew our , the teapots are the ones where the deco- when it sits on a shelf amongst oth- improvement in aroma and flavor ration is so subtle, beckoning almost, ers. Furthermore, the art of Yixing will help us judge our friendship as one holds them in the palm. isn’t just about the sense of sight; with any given pot. Because of this There is no ceramic art in the it involves all the senses. We evalu- combination of function and design, world quite like Yixing purple-sand ate and appreciate these teapots by Yixing teapots have achieved a leg- teapots, for they aren’t just pieces touching them, feeling their tex-

9 acy of their own, finding a central ments that lent the ceremony an Song bowls to hold their beautifully place in the story of tea. artistic expression like never before. whisked teas. For the first time, the tea ceremony In the Ming Dynasty (1368 – was being expressed both spiritually 1644 CE), the emperor would ban Some Background and aesthetically, attracting more the use of powdered teas and all During most of the Tang people over time. the art surrounding it would slowly Dynasty (618 – 907 CE) popular During these two dynasties, tea die in China, though it was fortu- tea was boiled in cauldrons with would find its way to the royal court nately preserved, adapted and fur- other ingredients and then ladled and beyond to the literati, who of ther explored in Japan. Instead, he out. The tea itself was compressed course took to the new art with all promoted the use of whole-leaf teas, into cakes that were then ground the verve that such artists, authors like the ancestors of long ago. All into powder before being thrown and scholars could bring to a pas- of the artistic intention was shifted into the cauldron. Later, Lu Yu pro- sion that incorporated their daily towards this new form of tea prepa- moted the drinking of just the pure habits and deepest inspirations both. ration. Even before that, the town of leaf, calling the liquor mixed with They, too, wanted to express the Yixing, which was then called Yan fruits or flowers “gutter water.” In peace and serenity they had found Xian, was a pottery town, making the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 CE) on the mountain while visiting the all kinds of cheap household items the real art of tea would begin in the monastery, to recapture it in some for commoners, like jugs, plates, etc. monasteries, as the monks sought measure each day while they were It would very soon change to the to refine the peacefulness and con- at home. They wrote poems, cal- teapot capital of the world, though. nection to tea, by crafting bowls, ligraphy, books, painted pictures According to ancient leg- whisks, grinders and other imple- and of course made ceramics, like end, there was a monk named

10 Yixing Feature

Ding Shu who walked through the ple-sand teapots evolved and grew, pot itself and over time the pot gets town shouting, “Honor and virtue spreading throughout China and “seasoned”, as tea lovers say. In other for sale!” They say that all the vil- beyond. words, it absorbs the fragrance and lagers laughed at him, thinking him depth of all the teas it has met in its mad until a few weeks later when time. Also, the composite structure he changed his pitch to, “Riches for A Magic Clay of Yixing clay makes it resilient to sale!” Some people then followed A big part of what makes Yix- radical temperature changes, so that him and he led them to the iron- ing teaware so special is the clay teapots can be covered with boiling rich deposits of clay ore that would itself. The Chinese were master water even in the cold of winter; make the town famous for all the potters long before many Western and what could be a more elegant centuries to come. peoples, having developed stone- image than winter-plums covered in During the reign of the Ming ware and porcelain many centuries a light snow, perhaps pine-covered Emperor Zheng De (1505 – 1521 earlier. The clay used in Yixing tea- mountains in the distance beyond a CE), Yixing teapots were ele- pots is mined from the local Yellow frozen pond, as seen over the rim of vated into an art form. Historians Dragon, Zhao Zuang, Shao Mei Yao a steaming Yixing pot? often attribute these changes to and Hu Fu mountains and their sur- After the clay is mined it looks the now-legendary figure of Gong roundings, for it, too, is stoneware. like a block of stone, with a flaky Chuan. Not much is known about Because the clay is naturally lead- consistency. It is then allowed to rest Gong Chuan, as he was but the free, it can be used for food and in the air for weeks or even years, humble servant of a government called “corrosion”, as it breaks down officer. There are many versions of into small, soybean-sized pebbles. his story, though, and most of them “The art of purple-sand These small chunks are then ground involve some kind of trip where into sand and allowed to “ferment” he accompanied his master to the teaware is used to express in water for a period. The duration neighboring city of Yixing. In his the feelings the craftsman depends on the ore and the master free time, he visited the Jing Sha overseeing the process, though most Temple and drank tea with a monk has for the Earth, and of the old masters I’ve met seemed there. The monk was an artist and then to transcend them, to have a “the longer the better” had crafted all his teaware himself. so that people can feel philosophy when it comes to airing/ Gong Chuan was amazed at the ele- storing the ore. More water and sift- gance and serenity expressed in the the softness and freedom ing produces smoother clay, whereas work and asked the monk to teach revealed in the Earth.” leaving more sand creates textured him. Over the coming years, Gong —Ke Tao Chung clay that is often more porous when Chuan would return whenever he fired. Sifters of various sizes are used got the chance and try his hand at to create these different textures. making the rustic teapots, using drink even after the initial firing, Then, after the clay is slabbed, it is only his hand and a wooden spoon without the need for a glaze. With- pounded with a large wooden mal- to form them. He had a natural out glaze, the clay remains porous let, sometimes blending colors in affinity for clay, and soon started and sand-like. this way, until the putty is of the producing excellent teapots that “Zisha” or “purple-sand” clay is desired color and consistency. were not only beautiful, but pro- composed of quartz remains, isin- duced better tea. He gifted one to glass, kaolinite, mica, hematite, iron Varieties of Ore his master, who was also a tea lover. and several other trace elements. It As his master shared tea with friends is fired at a temperature of around The variety of colors in Yixing and family, they would all ask where 1100- 1800 degrees Celsius, and relate to where in the strata the ore he got the special teapot. In no time, the quartz and isinglass remains cre- was mined, how long it was allowed all the government officials, artists ate what potters call a “double pore to “ferment” in air over time, as well and scholars in the town were fever- structure”, which ultimately was as the firing temperature and occa- ishly collecting Gong Chuan’s tea- the ring that sealed its marriage to sional mixture of iron to redden pots. He became famous, quickly Tea. Examination under a micro- the clay. Hotter temperatures will earning enough to support himself. scope allows one to see the deep produce darker purple colors. Tra- His master gladly released him from chambers of pores that actually run ditionally, the clay was categorized service and he devoted the rest of his from inside to outside in an Yixing as purple (zini), red (hongni), green life to making teapots that expressed teapot. Because of that, the oils in (luni), black (heini) or gray/yellow his understanding of Cha Dao. the tea are absorbed into the tea- (huangni/duanni). Some scholars From that point on, the art of pur-

11/ The Father of Tea The ore is layered in veins deep underground, but exposed after mining

and Yixing collectors, however, sug- their lid or get broken in the pro- ing on the type of clay, the process- gest that the clays should be classi- cess. All zhuni pots are at least in ing and the temperature of the kiln. fied by what mountain they were part blended with some other kind This allows for the perfect fit of the mined from, rather than the color. of clay to increase their stability. lid and pot, as well as the porous In recent years, there has been the Despite the cost and rarity of texture that makes them so per- addition of a variety of other col- zhuni pots, Yixing is famous as the fect for brewing tea. Moreover, the ors—green, yellow, blue, black and “Purple-sand City” because it is the quartz and other metallic elements red in myriad hues—some of which purple-sand (zini) which is the old- in the clay lend it a natural, simple may be due to natural or manmade est and most common clay/ore. It color. The great potter Gao Zhuang additives, like iron for example. was the purple-sand clay pots that once said that what he loved most Some pots even include mixtures became known as the “Father of about Yixing art was that the of one or more of these spectacular Tea”, marrying Yixing forever to tea appearance couldn’t show its value, clays. brewing. Real Purple-sand pots have but rather its nature. The zhuni red clay pots, espe- a magical effect on tea liquor that cially antique ones, are the most can only be tasted and felt in the expensive because this ore is virtu- mouth. Earth Dreaming of Tea ally non-existent in its natural form. Yixing clay has almost perfect The Earth couldn’t have dreamed Furthermore, the greater shrinkage plasticity. It also has one of the low- of a clay more suited for Tea, for and more delicate consistency of est shrinkage rates of any clay, on Yixing clay comes from deep mines, these zhuni pots make the success average ten to twenty-five percent bringing that spirit and joy with rate lower, as many won’t match from production to firing, depend- it to the tea ceremony. One of the

12 Yixing Feature brightest masters in the Pottery City ing and even poetry on their sides every day. They preferred simple, today, Ke Tao Chung, says, “The art as ornamentation. Some of the small pots to make tea for them- of purple-sand teaware is used to most sought after teapots were ones selves and their friends. There were express the feelings the craftsman made by famous potters and artists regional exceptions to these trends. has for the Earth, and then to tran- together, one creating the pot and Though not associated with North, scend them, so that people can feel the other painting it or carving the South or any particular region, these the softness and freedom revealed in calligraphy. styles continue even today, and have the Earth.” I also have found such Eventually, two main styles diversified, as generations of pot- artistic, spiritual and even elemental would develop based on the differ- ters have innovated and creatively grandeur in holding Yixing pots— ences in the tea art of the North and expanded the art and its expression, they are wise and kind, and the way South. In the northern cities, near technique and method. I have found they improve our tea, by absorbing the capital, it was mostly govern- that the so-called "southern style its essence and power and bringing ment officials that collected teapots. pots" are often more conducive to it to all our future sessions, is noth- They wanted larger pots to serve a harmonious gongfu tea ceremony. ing shy of miraculous. many guests, with a lot of ornamen- Serving tea to large groups is usually They say that a Ming Emperor tation to show off their power and better suited to bowl tea. liked to leave the palace incognito affluence. In the South, businessmen Over the years, potters would and wander the cities, going to and commoners alike all drank tea develop new clay compositions and other places to share in the conversations of the times. On one such excursion, dressed as a humble peasant, the emperor was walking down a quiet street. Through the window he saw an old farmer preparing tea. The cer- emony looked so harmonious and pleasant, the emperor couldn’t resist and knocked lightly at the door. He politely asked the farmer if he could join him and the farmer smilingly acquiesced. The liquor was dark and deep, amazing the emperor. For several hours they sat in calm joy, content to just relax, basking in the peace the dark tea inspired. When the time came to leave, the emperor asked the farmer where he got such amazing tea. The farmer replied, “I’m sorry sir, I am but a poor farmer and can’t afford any tea at all; I have only this old Yixing pot used by my father and his father before him.” Holding the empty pot up for the emperor’s inspection, he saw that the pot was seasoned enough to create such deep liquor with just water alone. The next day, the emperor sent a bag of gold coins to the farmer’s house and arranged a caravan to leave for Yixing! Over the years, the art of Yix- ing would evolve, incorporating all the other art forms in the Middle Kingdom. Since most artists, of any kind, were also tea lovers, pots soon had calligraphy, painting, seal-carv-

13/ The Father of Tea and formulas, refining the process pots without being able to explain return home to these friends each so much that a whole class of “clay why. These pots then become like night. I spend the evenings drunk masters” would develop. These men dear friends, traveling with us over on old teas, poured from small Yix- didn’t actually make teapots, they time as we progress. There are times ing pots that have been in my fam- just refined the clay with enough when I enter the center’s tea room ily for generations, watching the sun mastery to surpass what the potters undecided about which tea to drink set behind the abundance of distant themselves could do. And the pot- and find myself choosing not based peaks... ters, then, were free to develop new on which leaf I think suits the day, techniques and methods of express- but which teapot I wish to hold. A ing the many sentiments of Tea. simple Yixing pot resting on a small Much like the aged and wise plate, framed by mountains, is an tea leaves, Yixing pots have a kind image that for me carries all the of consciousness and even destiny. peace and bliss of the tea ceremony They seem to have a bond with their with it. owners, as they are passed down I imagine myself living in some through time. Walking into a store rural town long ago, with three Yix- full of teapots, five separate tea lov- ing pots and three jars of tea. After ers will be drawn to five separate a hard day’s work, I can’t wait to

One of the old dragon kilns in Yixing. It is still functional now.

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