YIXING TEAPOT DEMONSTRATION PART 1

TEA POT OF YELLOW CLAY

Hi! My dearest readers,

This article we are going to share with on the above two little lovely yellow clay tea pots. One of these as shown above is of the bigger round shape lid with 4 Mandarin characters as " Round Moon surrounded with Good and lovely Flower" indicates a relaxed life in peaceful and harmonious environment.

Whereas its pot is also with a larger flat bottom compared to the other yellow clay pot which matches well with its lid. The lid sit well at the ledge of the pot which attracted my younger brother's attention, and he brought this good news to me. At that time, I instantly requested him to take me to see the mainland Chinese merchant, who came to my mother's usual market place to sell his handcraft.

Thank God. When I reached there, these two items still available. After serious inspection and  scrutiny of these two items, I bargained with him and at last he told these two pieces to me at a good price since he was leaving my country very soon.

The photo above shown these two pieces, with the lid being removed and placed at their sides, which I bought from the mainland Chinese merchant. You can see clearly the differences between these two pieces despite both look alike, but their sprouts are so much different from each other. The left sprout is of italics whereas the right one is of straight and sharper sprout.

As mentioned earlier, the lid of the left pot with a smaller lid compare with the one on the right. Both are of  round shape.

No doubt both had been engraved with lotus flowers; one is a big lotus flower whereas the other is smaller with three lotus flowers. One is with a bird, represent peaceful, joyful and harmonious environment. Whereas the other one is a gold fish and lotus flower which well reflect a fish flowing freely in an environment of peace, joy and surrounded by lotus flower.

The Chinese characters on its pots and lids are also different. The meaning of its Chinese characters on the smaller lid well reflects the pots wide spread to every part of the world, without any boundary and limitation.

Look closely at "Mark Chop" at the bottom of both the pots closely. You will realise that both pots are made by different potters, which I initially thought was the same potter. However, I have no regret in buying both of them. I have kept them easily for more than five years and I will keep them in the near future.

We hope by now you will appreciate each and every pot which I have displayed with short description. We find each one has its own meaning and its unique crafting is very pleasing to our eyes and soul.

No wonder, every participant can enjoy every moment of the sip of the tea of his preferences. Together surrounded by the beauty of the pots, cups, bowls, trays and all types of accessories which we have shown you in our preceding articles. Perhaps, you should close your eyes and imagine all these items displayed in front of you and you are surrounded by your loved ones. Each one of you is sipping the tea slowly and you can see through their expression, the real full satisfaction of the tea that you have brewed for them. How wonderful and meaningful you will feel, especially from the snap shot of that particular moment.

Folks, what are you waiting for? Begin with some of these accessories and start to brew the tea. Take, the snap shot of that particular sweet moment become your goal/ end. Keep moving and let us know your experience.

Thank you and look forward to hear your experience both new or existing ones.

Your Chief Servant,

James Oh

Founder and Group CEO

Skype me at james.oh18

http://liftyouup.blogspot.com

TEA POT

Hi! Friends,

In our preceding article, we have written about the tea pot and its history.

Today, we are going to brief you about the differences you can find in these tea pots shown in the above photo.

They are made from different types of clay. The clay colours are also different caused by how they have been fired in the kiln in term of heat temperature. Each type of clay has its different porosity and serves well for the different types of tea.

You can see clearly that each pot has its own identity and personality, suits individual preference and liking. Each individual teapot has also its own unique shape and meanings.

If you examine further, you will notice that the thickness of the clay is also different from one tea pot to the other. BY rule of thumb, the thickness should be at least 1/4 inch in thickness, otherwise it could easily crack. 

Their spouts are of different lengths and designs. Each one serves its own function. By looking closely, you will also notice the hole in the spout is of different width. Some have bigger holes and they were designed for bigger tea leaves. Otherwise, the spout will easily be blocked by the tea leaves and cause inconvenience to the drinkers. No wonder, each artist is so detailed in his works and constantly use his talent, skills and creativity to fit its spout at the position best fitted for each pot, depending on its size and design. Some are at the very top of the pot and some at the middle.

Similarly, the position of its handle would also not be taken lightly by its creator. You may find some with a couple of inches down from the top and bottom. Some of them of have thin handles, some with much thicker handles despite having different designs. 

If you take a closer look at my green clay tea pot, you will notice that its handle have some crafting - distinct from the rest. You can see its handle is also much bigger compare to the rest. By having some crafting, it makes it more appealing.

The shape of the tea pot also varies, and the drawing or words written on it are also different. Thus, you will not find this hobby boring and the tendency of adding new teapots into your collection is very high. I am not an exception to this rule. I can assure you that I will add more into my collection if not for the spaces constraint at my display cabinet.  I have another brother who has a much bigger collection than me. He has expressed his interest to me to blog his collections. However, according to him, he just could not find time to do so. Once his blog is ready, we will add his to ours so as you have more variety and reading materials on tea and related stuff. In this connection, we also like to take this opportunity to extend our invitation to other bloggers as well.

Another interesting point to note is its lid. One obvious point is that each has its own size of lid. The shape also varies from pot to pot. The most challenging task to the tea pot manufacturer is how well they can make the lid sit on the inner edge of the hole so that the lid rests on the formed ledge yet fits snugly. As a general guide it is no more than half the size of its top. Here, may anyone tells us why there is a small hole in the lid?

That's all for this time and we look forward to hearing from you; be it an answer or a question.

Hope you are enjoy reading our article. Please stay tuned and we have more exciting article for you, as Valued Readers.

For those who have not tried our elephant pu'er, please contact us so that we could send it to you.

Thank and have a fruitful day.

Your Chief Servant,

James Oh

Founder and Group CEO

Skype me at james.oh18

http://liftyouup.blogspot.com

Your Chief Servant,

James Oh

THE GREEN TEA POT - LOTUS AND FROG ON TOP

Dear my friends, The above teapot is a product of the maker's applied art. It was made after much thoughts,  modifications and hard work before we see it as it is today. We would say that the design is more inclined to practical know how and its design serves more than for  its intended purpose - it pours well to tea cups or tea bowls. You can also see  everything in it - the tea must pour out smoothly from the pot if it is well designed  and crafted. To make it collectible, it must look good and feel good with its  ownership. To achieve these effects, everything counts - be it the shape, style,  type of clay, the skill and experience of the maker. This tea pot is of pumpkin shape. Its lid comprise of lotus flowers with a frog  resting on top - indicates peace and harmony; surrounded by the lotus flowers.  Each flower consists of one tiny stone, which is freely moving around as you  shake the lid. Thus producing such a chilling natural sound which may add  colour to your environment of having tea with your loved ones. Its clay is so much different from the normal ones - mixed with red, yellow clay and others and after firing in the kilns that produce different colors. Now, you  are able to appreciate how creative is the artist's work, who is so skillful in  engraving the clay till it is so adorable.  Look at its handle, it is not only bigger than the normal ones with a few rings along its handle so as to give the user a better grip, at the same time, it supports well the pot with its weight and content together with hot water - the art of  balance is equally important here. Hence, you can see that it must be functionable,  as it may be used frequently if not daily. It comes with a big spout and hole - suitable for Puer tea which is of bigger tea  leaves. The pot is of bigger capacity and the pu'er tea leaves will expand much  more in hot water when compare with other tea leaves. Its spout at the very  bottom of the pot makes it much easier to pour out the tea.  No wonder in recent years there has been an increase in admiration of these  unique teapots. Consequently, its price has increased tremendously from a few dollars to thousands of dollars for a single pot. And with this increase in value,  more talented artists are attracted to this trade and quality and the craftmanship are also enhanced. Hence, more scrutiny and quality control is imposed on  every pot.  Those rejected will then be smashed once they are out from the kiln. The  makers, especially famous ones are very proud of their products and you can see their maker's mark ("Chop Mark") at the bottom of each pot of their  production. This seal authenticates the work.The seal is chosen by the maker  with great care - sort of self image for them. Most of the famous potters have  their seal from a well known engraver and the chosen characters of the seal are cut in stone.  You may agree with us that the pot can reveal most of the maker's preference  and liking. Some potters prefer a little spout, some go for a heavy handle. Some reproduce  trunks and knotty branches. Others have exquisite engravings of ratan  or leaves. Each artist usually produces what he or she likes best. Each pot is  represented by their individual thoughts and represented the best of what he or  she thinks at the time of making. Similarly, each pot has its own beauty and characteristics depending on its  beholders. Here, you may say that its beauty in green clay is good for the mind and eyes. It will mould the sentiments, foster temperament, and improve health of its beholders. In other words, to be happy and successful you should drink tea brewed in  such a great product such as the above green clay of teapot. Your Chief Servant, James Oh Founder and Group CEO Skype me at james.oh18 http://liftyouup.blogspot.com

TEA POTS AND ITS HISTORY

Hi! Folks,

Today, we are going to show you some of my tea pots collection, as below. You may notice that they are of different colour of clay, yellow, green, purple and brown. Majority of them have not been used. Guess which ones are suitable for pu’er tea.

We are going to go through with you more details of each of the tea pots and its attributes so that you are able to appreciate each of them and their individual function.

In this article, append below is extracted from http://www.teapots.net/ on teapots history for your reading pleasure. 

A History of Teapots

The Need for Teapots

The story of teapots begins with their necessity -- the development of tea and its regular consumption required an efficient, and later an aesthetically pleasing, vessel for brewing and drinking.

There are two legends about the invention of tea. Some attribute the discovery of tea to Shen Nung, a Chinese Emperor in the 3rd century BCE, who sat under a tree while boiling his drinking water. When the leaves of Camellia sinensis fell into his bowl, the agreeable taste prompted the genesis of tea drinking. An alternative account gives credit to a Dharuma Buddhist monk who travelled to China from India in the 5th century CE. During his fifth year of a seven year meditiation undertaken to prove his faith, he became sleepy. In an effort to remain focussed he cut off his offending eyelids and threw them onto the ground, whence sprang the tea plant. He decided to make a drink from the leaves and discovered it kept him awake, allowing him to pursue his spiritual studies.

Camellia sinensis, the common tea plant, was first cultivated in the 4th century CE, after wild specimens were brought to China from India. Actually an evergreen tree which may grow up to 50 feet, the domesticated plant is pruned to a bush-like state and kept at a height of five feet. After three to five years of growth, its leaves may be harvested to make tea. Today, women constitute the majority of pickers, and there is no machine that can exceed the 60 to 70 pounds of leaves per day that an experienced worker can collect. These 60 to 70 pounds of fresh leaves produce approximately 20 pounds of dry tea, or 2800 cups of tea. (To find out more about the process of making tea, go to our pageFrom Tree to Teapot.)

Teapots were not used immediately upon the discovery of tea. From the 8th century CE, tea leaves were rolled by hand, dried and then grounded into a powder. At first, this powder was mixed with salt and formed into cakes that would be dropped into bowls of hot water to form a thick mixture. Eventually the powder was left in its loose form, to be mixed in a bowl with boiling water and whipped into a froth. This method of tea-making was introduced into Japan in the early 9th century CE. Tea was considered medicinal in both China and Japan for the next 500 years.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in China, leaf infusion as we know it now became popular. The earliest examples of teapots come from this period, made from the zisha, or "purple" clay, of the YiXing region of China. Pottery in the YiXing tradition has been strong since the Sung Dynasty (960-1279); wares are valued for their fine texture, thin walls, and naturally beautiful coloration ranging from light buff to deep maroon tones. The transition from drinking bowls to teapots was a smooth one. YiXing teapots were, and still are, used to brew tea as well as act as the drinking vessel -- one sips directly from the spout of a single-serving pot. YiXing teapots gradually season, the unglazed clay absorbing the flavor of brewed tea, making them a favorite choice for tea lovers. The dissemination of YiXing teapots greatly influenced not only the forms of teapots found throughout the world, but also prompted the invention of hard-paste porcelain in the western world. (Modern YiXing teapots can be found atwww.YiXing.com, along with information about the manufacture and use of these legendary pieces.) 

Japanese demand for teapots created a growth in the industry of this new form of pottery. By the 15th century CE, both the Chinese and Japanese were drinking tea for ceremonial purposes, and the beverage was no longer regarded solely for its medicinal properties. Chinese scholars and intellectuals involved themselves in the design of teapots. The "cult of tea" in Japan, led by the artist Sen Rikyu (1522-1591), became an impetus for stylistic and artistic evolution in YiXing teapot designs. Cha-no-yu, the tea ceremony which forms the basis for Japanese Buddhist "Teaism," serves as a natural expression and discipline of zazen meditation and is viewed as an art. (The Japanese tea ceremony is described in detail on our page Chado: Adoration of the Everyday.) Teapots detailed with themes from nature or sutras were desirable adjuncts to this art, and YiXing pots themselves became prized as creative works. The Japanese began making red clay or shudei teapots; they imported Chinese artists to teach them potting methods, and developed new techniques for creating these delicate wares. The old province of Bizen became an increasingly important center for Japanese ceramics. Raku, rough and dark earthenware, emerged.

The emergence and early evolution of teapots spanned several hundred years. Tea drinking had spread South through Asia, and was noticeable in Formosa (Taiwan), Siam (Thailand), Burma/Myanmar and the islands of Sumatra and Java in Indonesia. The next 300 years would see the global spread of tea -- and, of course, the teapot.

By now, we hope you have an indepth understanding of tea pots and its history.

  

Your Chief Servant,

James Oh

Founder and Group CEO

Skype me at james.oh18

http://liftyouup.blogspot.com

SQUARE ROSEWOOD TISSUE BOX

Hi! Friends, Almost everything evolves over time, similarly this rosewood tissue box. This contemporary item was created as a result of convenience. Prior to the invention of tissue papers, people use handkerchiefs instead. As the tissue papers came into the picture, the furniture producer also added this decorative item apart from serving its intended function. The photos below  are taken from 4 different sides of this decorative tissue box. All painting displayed at each side represents one season of the year, i.e .spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Can anyone tells us specifically what season o the year each painting represent ? (see the photos below)  Here, we hope you too are inspired by its craftsmanship, i.e. painting of the colourful Mother of Pearl. This craftsmanship is fine and of high quality, suitable for collection. This box is with me for a couple of years which I bought together with my rosewood display cabinet. It is of approximately of 8 inches of length, width and height. There is a hole; of approximately 4 inches; at its top, which enable the user to pull out the tissue from the tissue box. The tissues are placed inside this tissue box by pulling out the tray from its bottom and place on top of its tray before pushing the tray back to its original position.(See photo) I find this tissue box unique and it blends well with conventional and contemporary items which offers its user a new life. Imagine how meaningful your time will be when you display it at the centre of the table while having tea and some snacks with your loved ones. The tissue box  plays a role of serving its intended purpose.  At the same time, it also add colours to the tea ceremony especially together with other tea accessories, unique tea cups and tea pots. These items may also become conversation topics amongst its participants.  Before we end our discussion, may I be allowed to throw a question to the readers. What do the balls at the four corners represent or symbolise? Thank you for your time and   I look forward to hearing from you, Your Chief Servant, James Oh Founder and Group CEO Skype me at james.oh18 http://liftyouup.blogspot.com

TEA CANISTER

Hi, everyone,





Tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the tools and accessories used to brew tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed. Naturally, this tea culture is very much different from one region to another. Even now, tea is consumed regularly, and not like the past where tea is used as traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese cuisine.

In this article, we are going to have a quick tour about types of tea canisters and their usage.

Tea canister, designed in various shapes, materials and sizes, is used for store loose tea leaves. For all intents and purposes, it is meant to cater for multi-functions and roles. Its variety is to serve you better depending on your usage and preference.

There are basically several types made of different materials as follows:-


1. Yixing

Unglazed Yixing canister, made of undyed Yixing clay, is perfect for storing pu'er tea. It is made of natural clay, which is found only in the Yixing region of China, northwest of Shanghai. It reflects the natural color of the clay. Its porous nature allows the tea to breathe and develop to yield a great aroma and flavor. It is the optimal way to store loose tea, toucha, or tea bricks and tea cakes which have been loosened prior to drinking.

It is also very easy to wash by rinsing it with warm or hot water. Its history has about 1,000 years.


2. STAINLESS AND ACRYLIC

The stainless steel and acrylic tea canisters are equipped with an air-tight seal. The seal serves as a way to keep our tea freshness for months! These canisters feature acrylic windows, airtight acrylic clamp lids and silicone gaskets to ensure a tight seal.

3. CERAMIC

To make that tea last for months, you may even store it in an air-tight ceramic tea canister! This canister comes with air-tight seal and a convenient easy-grip handle and scoop feature. It is also equipped with a metal clamp and silicone gasket, to ensure the freshness stays in.

4. ACRYLIC

This acrylic tea canister with a silicone gasket ensures an air-tight seal. It can be a very attractive container to store your tea!


Store your tea appropriately to preserve its freshness. Treat your friends and family to a relaxing, delicious afternoon tea party regularly! Life is fun.

So stay tuned and have fun together.

James Oh

TEA KETTLE - SOME BASIC FACTS

My dear loving readers and visitors,

In this article, I am going to give some basic facts on the tea kettle.

Hope you find it useful.

How to buy a tea kettle? Electric versus stovetop. What are the pros and cons of aluminum, stainless steel, glass, copper, silver and cast iron kettles?

To get the most out of your favorite tea, you need the right tools. Needless to say tea kettle is of no exception. Tea kettle, unlike tea pot is generally placed on the stove when boiling water.

Today there are many types of kettles available in the market. But how do you know which one to pick? Is it really worth to spend more to get an expensive model, or will a cheaper model meet your needs equally well?

In this article, I am going to give you some useful tips that can help you get the right tools. Read on to learn more about how to choose a tea kettle.

Stovetop Versus Electric Kettles

Ask yourself, Which type you prefer?

Advantages of Stovetop Kettles

They are more classical and you may find the old-fashioned stove-top models.

It is more attractive, easy to use, and you do not need a power point. Hence, it is more convenient and suitable to be used outdoors such as gardens. 

For those who want to keep tea-making ritual intact, then boiling water on the stove is a better choice.

Advantages of Electric Kettles

The advantages of using electric kettles are that they boil water much faster and are more convenient.

Moreover, some electric kettles have built in water filters which help to remove hard deposits from the water. Electric kettles are also a better choice for those living in dormitories, where there are no stoves available to boil a late-night cup of tea.

Some electric kettles are equipped with temperature-control features where you can stop heating the water   before reaching the boiling point. This is great for those green and white tea drinkers.

For those who have a busy lifestyle, then electric tea kettle is a much better choice.

In my forthcoming article, I will provide more details of this topic.

Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you,

James Oh

TEA POT HAS SO MUCH TO TELL

Very happy day to my loving readers and visitors,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The photos above are taken, at different angles, with the intention to enable you to scrutinize it if you wish to. You may click at the respective photo to enlarge it. Each and every of them reflects the different type of zisha ("purple" clay) , shape, color and its craftsmanship. Proper scrutiny of each of them will reveal the maker's competency skills, talent and creativity - that will give you a real sensation and adoration. No surprise to me that some collectors willingly to offer high prices for the pieces they desired.

One noticeable fact of zisha is its' unique characteristics. Its' porous nature enables the teapot to absorb the essence of tea well.  As the teapot becomes seasoned, especially when nurtured over time, the essence of tea captured by the teapot will accentuate the character of subsequent brews. Drinkers will enjoy having different taste from each brew - that's the natural beauty of it - which you may find similar effects in other materials.

Apart from the above, Zisha has all other characteristics as follow:

• It remains highly porous even after being fired at temperatures of exceeding 1000˚C. However, if it were fired at compromised lower temperatures, it will then produce lower quality teapots that emit the taste and smell of clay into the brew.
• It is also able to hold water without seepage.
• It is structurally strong for its function and glazing is not needed ( I will tell you at a later stage).
• It is able to sustain sudden and big temperature change.
• It offers an excellent balance between flexibility and firmness (due to its high iron content). After dying, it will shrink nominally.
• The flexibility of the clay allows the tea pot be easily crafted into attractive shapes and designs.

Now, you know why the zisha teapots play a central role in the art of Chinese tea. This is so important that lots of makers spend times to produce variety of distinctive shape with different themes and crafted beautifully.


Most of the tea lovers prefer the unglazed clay ones, not only because it has a wonderful effect on the Chinese tea, but they will nurture the tea pot to naturally glaze by pouring hot tea on its surface during their tea sessions. This glazing effect will gradually take effect over a certain period of times. By then, the pot will fetch a much higher price compared with its original position especially among collectors.


However, most of these tea pot makers seldom neglect its primary functional role. The bottom line of these tea pots makers is to deliver good quality tea in term of aroma and taste of the respective tea leaves. Well designed tea pots will not only enable you to pour out the tea smoothly well from the pot, but also enable you to do so even at varying speeds and angles of your pour. That's mean no tea should drip down from other parts than its spout. As such, it is also not wrong to say that the teapot is a product of the applied art.


Lately, there has been an huge increase in demand of such zisha teapots. As a result, the prices have increased tremendously from a few dollars to thousands for a single pot. It goes without saying, its quality has also improved to match its price. Better quality control have been put in place at every level of processes and those do meet the quality will then be rejected and smashed immediately after they were taken out from the kiln.

Thanks for taking your precious time to read this article and trust it is worth more than your time spent.


Please feel free to pass off this blog to your circle of friends who are pursuing of brewing a good tea. Do share with me your experience either through email or comment, I am more than happy to learn from you.


Stay tuned and look forward to hearing from you,


James Oh