Tea Tray , or so called CHAPAN in Mandarin

Dear my loving readers,



The above "stump" style tea tray is carved from a single piece of wood (similar to American hickory), features with inlaid fish designs. Every of the small level, at various corners, serve to drain into the main tray, which will then drains out via hose attach to the brass spigot. Unique designed by a highly dedicated and caliber artists make it a masterpiece.

I shall add this type to my collection in the near future once my tea corner is in place.

Please share some your thoughts/views by forwarding them through comment. You may view my collection at http://teaartblog.blogspot.com.

Thanks for your time and see you again.


James Oh

Yixing Zisha Travel Tea Set

Dear my loving readers,

This small travel tea set is designed for tea on the go. With a small tea pot, three cups and a tea tray, what you need to brew tea is just your favorite tea and water!









This set is perfectly practical especially for those who often on the move.

Trust you find it is useful as I do.

James Oh

Yixing pottery from Melody Wu

Yixing pottery refers to the unique traditional stoneware made in Yixing, China. They are made from the reddish clay (zisha) found in Yixing area, usually unglazed to display the beauty of the shiny color of the clay. Most of them are teawares (called zisha teapots).

The history of Yixing pottery went way back at early Song and Ming dynasty (A.D. 960 -1505). The change in the way by which the tea is made in Ming dynasty introduced a fundamental revolution in the art of tea-tasting in China. People started to drink tea which is similar to the modern tea made from young leaves from tea trees. Because unglazed zisha teapots can keep the color and the fresh of the tea better and longer, also the rustic elegance in the shape and the natural shine in the colors is in accordance with the search for ideal of the beauty of the nature among scholars, zisha teapots has since experienced a rapid development and gained recognition in Chinese ceramics.

Ming and Qing dynasties are the most flourish time in the historical development of Yixing pottery, and can be divided into three separate periods as early, middle and later periods.

The early period starts from the beginning of 17th century to the beginning of 16th century (Zhende period to Wanli period in Ming dynasty). The styles of zisha teawares absorb the styles in the copperware and silverware, even the furniture style of the Ming dynasty. Most of them have the type called Jinwen (the body of teapot has vivid lines).

The middle period started from early 17th century to the middle of 18th century (corresponds to late Ming dynasty to middle Qing dynasty). Zisha ware reached its summit in this period; many famous potters were active during this time; numerous shapes were made; the most unique styles of zisha ware were developed.

The late period is from the late 18th century to the early 20th century (middle of Qing dynasty to late of Qing dynasty). With the more and more patronage and advocate from scholars, styles with geometric forms and carving inscription were very fashionable. In addition, the techniques of slip painting, enameling, carving etc. were applied to add more fun for scholastic interest.

Yixing zisha ware won numerous prizes from International trade exhibitions all over the world. The three zisha clay are purple clay, red clay and dark green clay. Zisha clay has an excellent plasticity which allows extensive freedom of creation, a small rate of contraction, good in proportions and in dimensions. After firing, the zisha teaware has an appropriate amount of air holes for ventilation such that the teapot can preserve the color, smell and taste of the tea. Also after frequent use and subsequent wiping, the teapot will acquire a natural shine as from pearl and jade stone.

Zisha ware has numerous styles all made by hand slab forming techniques. There are round style, angular geometric style, sculpture style, and teawares with vivid lines style.

There are also a variety of decoration methods for zisha ware. They can be made by clay mixed with grains, clay mixed with another different color clay, polishing etc. The surface embellishments involves glazing, carving, slip painting, enameling, applique and lacquer encasing. The most famous and the one which has the biggest influence lasted to today on the zisha history is the carving inscription of calligraphy and painting. This is a decoration to include the culture, calligraphy, carving and painting in the art of teapots, and was advocated by Hen Mansheng who was famous for calligraphy and seal engraving in Qing dynasty. This makes the zisha teaware having great artistic and culture values.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melody_Wu

26 tea mountains in Yunnan, China

Dear my loving readers,

You may click at the title of the post to read more about the 26 tea mountains in Yunnan, China - famous for its tea producer.

Trust you find the post interesting and useful.

James Oh

Tea Arts 茶文: tea, words and poems

Dear my loving readers,

Recently I have visited this blog and find this post very relevant and meaningful and I wish to share with you.

---none of the following is my own writing but quotes from others, link at bottom---

Quotations involving Tea

All the following quotations have a reference to tea and are found in literature all over the world. Most of them are well known and we make little claim to researching deep and long into the night to find them. However, that sounds like a good way to spend time to me, especially if armed with a nice cuppa. If any one out there finds any more, please send them to me via e-mail. That goes for any of the other subjects in this website too – you can quote me on that!

"Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea."Henry Fielding

"Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world."T'ien Yiheng

"Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company."Anon

"Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage."Catherine Douzel

"Tea had come as a deliverer to a land that called for deliverance; a land of beef and ale, of heavy eating and abundant drunkenness; of grey skies and harsh winds; of strong nerved , stout-purposed, slow-thinking men and women. Above all, a land of sheltered homes and warm firesides - firesides that were waiting - waiting for the bubbling kettle and the fragrant breath of tea."Agnes Reppiler

"I always fear that creation will expire before teatime."Sydney Smith

"Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary."Chinese Proverb

"There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea."Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I am a hardened and shameless tea drinker, who has for twenty years diluted his meals only with the infusion of this fascinating plant; whose kettle has scarcely time to cool; who with tea amuses the evening, with tea solaces the midnight, and with tea welcomes the evening."Samuel Johnson

"Tea is a cup of life."Anon

"I am glad I was not born before tea. "Rev. Sydney Smith

"The perfect temperature for tea is two degrees hotter than just right."Terri Guillemets

"There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea."Bernard-Paul Heroux

"If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you."Gladstone

"As long as it is hot, wet and goes down the right way, it's fine with me."Sarah Fergerson

"Bread and water can so easily be toast and tea."Anon

"Is there no Latin word for Tea? Upon my soul, if I had known that I would have let the vulgar stuff alone."Hilaire Belloc

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."Henry James

"Another novelty is the tea-party, an extraordinary meal in that, being offered to persons that have already dined well, it supposes neither appetite nor thirst, and has no object but distraction, no basis but delicate enjoyment."Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

"The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose."George Gissing

"Wouldn’t it be dreadful to live in a country where they didn’t drink tea?"Noel Coward

"What part of confidante has that poor teapot played ever since the kindly plant was introduced among us. Why myriads of women have cried over it, to be sure! What sickbeds it has smoked by! What fevered lips have received refreshment from it! Nature meant very kindly by women when she made the tea plant; and with a little thought, what a series of pictures and groups the fancy may conjure up and assemble round the teapot and cup.William Makepeace Thakery

"Tea should be taken in solitude."C.S. Lewis

"If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty."Japanese Proverb

"Tea is liquid wisdom. "Anon

"While there's tea there's hope."Sir Arthur Pinero

"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things. SakiTea to the English is really a picnic indoors."Alice Walker

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future."Thich Nat Hahn

"Tea's proper use is to amuse the idle, and relax the studious, and dilute the full meals of those who cannot use exercise, and will not use abstinence."Samuel Johnson

"Our trouble is that we drink too much tea. I see in this the slow revenge of the Orient, which has diverted the Yellow River down our throats."J.B. Priestley

"Tea...is a religion of the art of life."Okakura

"All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes."George Orwell

"A 'proper tea' is much nicer than a 'very nearly tea', which is one you forget about afterwards."A.A. Milne

"The first cup moistens my lips and throat. The second cup breaks my loneliness. The third cup searches my barren entrails only to find therein some thousand volumes of odd ideographs. The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration - all the wrongs of life pass out through my pores. At the fifth cup I am purified. The sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals. The seventh cup - ah, but I could take no more! I only feel the breath of the cool wind that raises in my sleeves. Where is Elysium? Let me ride on this sweet breeze and waft away thither."Lu Tung

"The best quality tea must have creases like the leathern boot of Tartar horsemen, curl like the dewlap of a mighty bullock, unfold like a mist rising out of a ravine, gleam like a lake touched by a zephyr, and be wet and soft like a fine earth newly swept by rain."Lu Yu

"Stands the church clock at ten to three?And is there honey still for tea?"Rupert Brooke

"As the centerpiece of a cherished ritual, it's a talisman against the chill of winter, a respite from the ho-hum routine of the day."Sarah Engler

"Remember the tea kettle - it is always up to its neck in hot water, yet it still sings!Anon

"Tea is instant wisdom - just add water!"Astrid Alauda

"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy, doesn't try it on."Billy Connolly

"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."C.S. Lewis

"Bring me a cup of tea and 'The Times'.”Queen Victoria, on her accession to the throne

"Teaism is a cult founded on the adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday existence. It inculcates purity and harmony, the mystery of mutual charity, the romanticism of the social order."Okakura Kakuzo

"Come, oh come, ye tea-thirsty restless ones, the kettle boils, bubbles and sings musically."Rabindranath Tagore

"If two women should pour from the same pot, one of them will have a baby within a year."superstition

"Two teaspoons accidentally placed together on a saucer, points to a wedding or a pregnancy."superstition

"My dear, if you could give me a cup of tea to clear my muddle of a head I should better understand your affairs."Charles Dickens

"Wouldn’t it be dreadful to live in a country where they didn’t drink tea?"Noel Coward

"The spirit of the tea beverage is one of peace, comfort and refinement."Arthur Gray

"Tea! thou soft, thou sober sage and venerable liquid... thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing, heart-opening, wind-tippling cordial, to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest moment of my life. – Let me fall prostrate."Colley Cibber

"Enjoy life sip by sip, not gulp by gulp."The Minister of Leaves

"Tea – the cups that cheer but not inebriate."William Cowper

"I am in no way interested in immortality,but only in the taste of tea."Lu tung

"One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight beyond the bliss of dreams.Milton

...for tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities, or are become so from wine-drinking, and are not susceptible of influence from so refined a stimulant, will always be the favoured beverage of the intellectual...Thomas De Quincy

"Surely every one is aware of the divine pleasures which attend a wintry fireside; candles at four o'clock, warm hearthrugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters closed, curtains flowing in ample draperies to the floor, whist the wind and rain are raging audibly without." Thomas De QuinceyTea and Poetry
At last the secret is out,as it always must come in the end,The delicious story is ripe to tell an intimate friend;Over tea-cups and in the square the tongue has its desire;Still waters run deep, my dear,there's never smoke without fire.
W.H Auden
•The cozy fire is bright and gay,The merry kettle boils awayand hums a cheerful song.I sing the saucer and the cup;Pray, Mary, fill the teapot up,And do not make it strong.
Barry Pain
•Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast,Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa around,And while the bubbling and loud-hissing urnThrows up a steamy column, and the cupsThat cheer but not inebriate, wait on each,So let us welcome peaceful evening in.
William Cowper
•We had a kettle, we let it leak;Our not replacing it made it worse,We haven't had any tea for a week...The bottom is out of the Universe!
Rudyard Kipling
•
Steam rises from a cup of teaand we are wrapped in history,inhaling ancient times and lands,comfort of ages in our hands.
Faith Greenbowl
•
I invite you magnanimously to please be my guest for teaat a room with high standards of tastewhere the hostess remembers my faceand greets me by name at the doorand recalls what I've ordered beforeand inquires kindly after my day, and appreciates all that I say.She'll have orange pekoe for the potand darjeeling, as likely as not,or if you are not in the pinkour hostess knows which herbs to drink,like ginger to help with the grippemixed with cinnamon and the rose hip;or fresh lemon balm if you wish,perhaps blended with sweet licorice.So whether you feel well or ill, this refreshment will quite fit the billand, of course, you will quite enjoy me.Yours truly. RSVPAubrey Henslow
•
I'M A LITTLE TEA POT
I'm a little teapot, short and stout.Here is my handle,(one hand on hip)here is my spout(other arm out straight)When I get all steamed up, hear me shoutJust tip me over and pour me out!(lean over and tip arm out like a spout)I'm a clever teapot, yes it's trueHere's an example of what I can do I can change my handle to my spout(switch arm positions and repeat tipping motion)Just tip me over and pour me out!

(from http://www.victorianteashop.co.uk/quotation.html)

oh I do have one
Tea is our bridge.
me1990s


Have a pleasant visit,

Cheers and have a lovely day,

James Oh