Yixing is the pottery capital of China, and is the place where purple clay originated. It is the hinterland beyond Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai and Lake Tai. Yixing is a scenic spot with mountains and streams around; its land is fertile and abundant in produce. It is said to be the “ancient town of pottery, the world of caves, the green belt of tea, and the sea of bamboo.” Yixing lies within the Asian tropical zone, but has four distinct seasons which are mild and especially beneficial for producing pottery
God favored Yixing and granted it the conditions for producing pottery: a rich resource of purple clay soil lies hidden in the ground of Yixing. Legends about pottery originating in Yixing abound. About four to five thousand years ago, towards the end of prehistoric age, our ancestors had already begun making fired pottery on this very spot. The period from Shang Dynasty to Zhou Dynasty, geometric pottery and those with stamped markings appeared along with the early green porcelain. From the Qin Dynasty onward up till today, pottery and porcelain have been heavily produced. Purple clay pottery began in the Northern Song Dynasty. It flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and is still thriving today. The efforts of the successive generations of potters have resulted in many celebrated craftsmen and all types of different forms of purple clay pottery.
The everyday necessities of the Chinese people include oil, salt, firewood, rice, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and tea. The Chinese have the habit of having “tea and rice”‘ everyday. Tea is consumed before a meal of rice. Also, when guests visit, it is the custom for hosts to offer good tea to express hospitality. Tea, in general, is a beverage that no one can do without. Drinking tea can clear your mind and raise your spirit, and is good for the health. Therefore, the tea set, especially the teapot, came to be treasured more and more by the culturally refined, and through their involvement, purple clay pottery gradually rose from the level of folk art and developed into the unique national tradition and cultural art that it is today. And this all happened at the right time and place as it was destined to.
The first requirement of purple clay pottery is the purple clay soil which is a mixture of three soils: the purple soil, the green soil (from the mountains of Yixing) and the red soil. All are from local mines and are composed of natural minerals. They are hidden between rocks and ordinary pottery soil, that is why they are sometimes called the “soil within the rock” and the “soil within the soil.” The purple clay soil is excavated by tunneling, naturally wind-dried, crumbled into powder, sifted, mixed with the right amount of water, left in a cool shady place to stale, and pounded (churned in a vacuum), in order to reach the ideal quality for molding. The three soils are mixed according to need and the color desired. Then, it is fired at various temperatures depending on the soil composition. Darker colored clay is more rich but the color gradations range from sky green, millet, deep purple, pear skin, cinnabar purple, flowering apple red, green gray, ink green, to bluish black, etc. There are colors that can be described as modest purple, delicate red, mature green, chromatic black, and florid gray, etc., that are truly elegant.
God favored Yixing and granted it the conditions for producing pottery: a rich resource of purple clay soil lies hidden in the ground of Yixing. Legends about pottery originating in Yixing abound. About four to five thousand years ago, towards the end of prehistoric age, our ancestors had already begun making fired pottery on this very spot. The period from Shang Dynasty to Zhou Dynasty, geometric pottery and those with stamped markings appeared along with the early green porcelain. From the Qin Dynasty onward up till today, pottery and porcelain have been heavily produced. Purple clay pottery began in the Northern Song Dynasty. It flourished during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and is still thriving today. The efforts of the successive generations of potters have resulted in many celebrated craftsmen and all types of different forms of purple clay pottery.
The everyday necessities of the Chinese people include oil, salt, firewood, rice, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and tea. The Chinese have the habit of having “tea and rice”‘ everyday. Tea is consumed before a meal of rice. Also, when guests visit, it is the custom for hosts to offer good tea to express hospitality. Tea, in general, is a beverage that no one can do without. Drinking tea can clear your mind and raise your spirit, and is good for the health. Therefore, the tea set, especially the teapot, came to be treasured more and more by the culturally refined, and through their involvement, purple clay pottery gradually rose from the level of folk art and developed into the unique national tradition and cultural art that it is today. And this all happened at the right time and place as it was destined to.
The first requirement of purple clay pottery is the purple clay soil which is a mixture of three soils: the purple soil, the green soil (from the mountains of Yixing) and the red soil. All are from local mines and are composed of natural minerals. They are hidden between rocks and ordinary pottery soil, that is why they are sometimes called the “soil within the rock” and the “soil within the soil.” The purple clay soil is excavated by tunneling, naturally wind-dried, crumbled into powder, sifted, mixed with the right amount of water, left in a cool shady place to stale, and pounded (churned in a vacuum), in order to reach the ideal quality for molding. The three soils are mixed according to need and the color desired. Then, it is fired at various temperatures depending on the soil composition. Darker colored clay is more rich but the color gradations range from sky green, millet, deep purple, pear skin, cinnabar purple, flowering apple red, green gray, ink green, to bluish black, etc. There are colors that can be described as modest purple, delicate red, mature green, chromatic black, and florid gray, etc., that are truly elegant.
Purple clay soil is a kind of special pottery soil that is very fine and delicate, and that contains high amounts of iron. Its molecular structure is different from that of common pottery and porcelain soils. After being fired at 12000C, the structure becomes like fish scales and has the ideal rate of density and pores. The surface of a pottery piece is fine and delicate and does not need to be glazed. When used for making tea, no chemical reaction will take place. Therefore, using a purple clay teapot for tea will allow you to savor the full flavor, color, and aroma of the tea.
The ancients praised tea drinking thus: “water is the mother of tea and teapot is the father” and “clay teapots are the best: the lid keeps the steam in and yet does not smother the aroma.” Second, purple clay teapots conduct heat slower so can hold the heat longer, and it doesn’t burn the hand if you touch it. Third, purple clay pottery can be transferred from cold to hot extremes. On a cold winter’s day, you can directly put it in boiling water or on the fire. Fourth, because the surface is fine and delicate, the more you use it, the shinier it becomes, the newer it looks, and the more energy it seems to exude. Fifth, the colors of the clay are rich and varied, smooth and elegant, earthy and stable. Purple clay pottery is like wool: thick, snug, neat, pure, classy; and it is luminous as a piece of antique jade. Because of its special composition, purple clay is also good for making flower pots since it can let light through and absorb water, which prevent roots from rotting. Purple clay is also great for making steam pots used in cooking delicious food.
Pottery made from purple clay is earthy and refined, and displays the ingenuity of the craftsman; it is full of cultural flavor characteristic of the East. The ancients praised that “pearls and jade can be found everywhere but there is only one soil like that at Yangxian Xitou.” Therefore, one can say that purple clay soil is a national treasure endowed by the heavens.
The main types of wares made from purple clay are tea sets, wine sets, dinner sets, writing sets, flower pots, sculptures and decorations. Among tea sets, there are four types: kuang huo, fang huo, Jin rang huo, and hua huo. Kuang huo teapots can be any size, circular, cylindrical, or mallet-shaped; they are especially thick, full and simple; a craftsman will put in extra effort to make sure they appear simple, stout, round as pearls and smooth as jade. Fang huo teapots can be square, octagonal, hexagonal, rectangular, or slanted squares; they are especially straight and upright, simple, clean, serious, neat and proper; a craftsman will handle these in a clear-cut and straightforward manner. Jin rang huo teapots are representations of all kinds of flowers, such as the chrysanthemum, the sunflower, the plum blossom, the water chestnut flower, the cherry-apple blossom, etc.; the lines are always curved and the markings give the feel of order, rhythm and movement. Hua huo teapot forms are mainly derived from nature such as the pine, the bamboo, the plum, the vine, trees, gourds, and fruits, etc. Parts of these natural objects are selected and represented with exaggeration. To make them more interesting; the flowers or leaves sculpted or molded onto the body of the teapot must be life-like and arranged in a reasonable, suitable fashion. They should represent the poetic in life, the ideal above life, the platonic in nature. Purple clay pottery has numerous varying forms and styles, and an infinite number of representations. It is really the great achievement among all the crafts made for household use.
The various types of purple clay pottery reflect the various types of people and personalities that exist. They can be described as round and plump, gentle and full, strong and tough, feminine and slender, handsome and masculine, aloof and suggestive, uninhibited and sophisticated, penetrating and calm, subtle and full of presence, amenable and enjoyable, and are dear to their collectors and owners.
The ancients praised tea drinking thus: “water is the mother of tea and teapot is the father” and “clay teapots are the best: the lid keeps the steam in and yet does not smother the aroma.” Second, purple clay teapots conduct heat slower so can hold the heat longer, and it doesn’t burn the hand if you touch it. Third, purple clay pottery can be transferred from cold to hot extremes. On a cold winter’s day, you can directly put it in boiling water or on the fire. Fourth, because the surface is fine and delicate, the more you use it, the shinier it becomes, the newer it looks, and the more energy it seems to exude. Fifth, the colors of the clay are rich and varied, smooth and elegant, earthy and stable. Purple clay pottery is like wool: thick, snug, neat, pure, classy; and it is luminous as a piece of antique jade. Because of its special composition, purple clay is also good for making flower pots since it can let light through and absorb water, which prevent roots from rotting. Purple clay is also great for making steam pots used in cooking delicious food.
Pottery made from purple clay is earthy and refined, and displays the ingenuity of the craftsman; it is full of cultural flavor characteristic of the East. The ancients praised that “pearls and jade can be found everywhere but there is only one soil like that at Yangxian Xitou.” Therefore, one can say that purple clay soil is a national treasure endowed by the heavens.
The main types of wares made from purple clay are tea sets, wine sets, dinner sets, writing sets, flower pots, sculptures and decorations. Among tea sets, there are four types: kuang huo, fang huo, Jin rang huo, and hua huo. Kuang huo teapots can be any size, circular, cylindrical, or mallet-shaped; they are especially thick, full and simple; a craftsman will put in extra effort to make sure they appear simple, stout, round as pearls and smooth as jade. Fang huo teapots can be square, octagonal, hexagonal, rectangular, or slanted squares; they are especially straight and upright, simple, clean, serious, neat and proper; a craftsman will handle these in a clear-cut and straightforward manner. Jin rang huo teapots are representations of all kinds of flowers, such as the chrysanthemum, the sunflower, the plum blossom, the water chestnut flower, the cherry-apple blossom, etc.; the lines are always curved and the markings give the feel of order, rhythm and movement. Hua huo teapot forms are mainly derived from nature such as the pine, the bamboo, the plum, the vine, trees, gourds, and fruits, etc. Parts of these natural objects are selected and represented with exaggeration. To make them more interesting; the flowers or leaves sculpted or molded onto the body of the teapot must be life-like and arranged in a reasonable, suitable fashion. They should represent the poetic in life, the ideal above life, the platonic in nature. Purple clay pottery has numerous varying forms and styles, and an infinite number of representations. It is really the great achievement among all the crafts made for household use.
The various types of purple clay pottery reflect the various types of people and personalities that exist. They can be described as round and plump, gentle and full, strong and tough, feminine and slender, handsome and masculine, aloof and suggestive, uninhibited and sophisticated, penetrating and calm, subtle and full of presence, amenable and enjoyable, and are dear to their collectors and owners.
Because purple clay molds are easy to handle, the crafting and production of purple clay pottery are different from those of other pottery and porcelain. The past centuries have produced a unique set of techniques and skills for handling purple clay. For example, when making a round piece, strips or sheets of clay are luted together into circular shapes and then beaten with a spatula into the desired shapes (the da shentong method). For a square piece, the xiang shentong method is used which involves beating the mold with a spatula into the desired thickness first and then luting the pieces together; after either method, detailed work is added to complete the piece. Usually, from mixing the clay soil to a completed mold, everything is completed by one person. Therefore, the quality of the craft and its artistic value are dependent on the skill, artistic background, training, technical ability, and experience of the craftsman.
A perfect piece of pottery must first have carefully selected material, which involves knowing what kind of soil to use for which kind of piece. During the design, one must consider the crafting process, methods, techniques which include knowing how soft or hard the mold should be. In the production process, one must understand what changes will occur and what influence drying and firing has on the piece. Only in this way can one expect to achieve the desired effect. Only in this way can purple clay soil and fire be combined to produce special artistic pieces.
There is another special point about purple clay pottery, and that is the poetry and calligraphy directly painted or engraved on the pieces. The earliest examples of this type are from the end of the Ming Dynasty. Chang Mansheng and Zhu Ziye were the most prominent figures that left paintings and poetry on teapots. They initiated the development of art engraved on purple clay pottery, and the saying, “teapots are made legendary through words and words are made valuable through teapots.”
In recent years, new types of decorations have emerged, and a dazzling array of decorations and new handicrafts made from purple clay have captivated admirers and have made purple clay pottery more appealing than ever before. Purple clay pottery can not only be useful household items, they are also valuable collectibles. The purple clay teapot is “the best in the world” for making tea. Its substance and form are perfectly matched and it is a pleasure to use and to look at. People say that to make red tea, a deeper teapot should be used, and for green tea, a shallow one. For work or play, fatigue or stress, and especially for enjoying magnificent scenery or the quiet of a garden, it is an incomparable addition.
Purple clay pottery is praised and valued because of its special artistic form and deep cultural significance. Purple clay pottery is not only the symbol of Yixing, but also a foremost representative of Chinese traditional craft, a cultural treasure created and possessed by all of mankind. The development of cultural art has no borders. To develop the culture of purple clay pottery, it should be turned to the whole world and become amenable to all. It should be used and studied worldwide. History has given us purple clay pottery, and we should take up the task and responsibility for developing and studying it. This is a privilege that we have in our time.
A perfect piece of pottery must first have carefully selected material, which involves knowing what kind of soil to use for which kind of piece. During the design, one must consider the crafting process, methods, techniques which include knowing how soft or hard the mold should be. In the production process, one must understand what changes will occur and what influence drying and firing has on the piece. Only in this way can one expect to achieve the desired effect. Only in this way can purple clay soil and fire be combined to produce special artistic pieces.
There is another special point about purple clay pottery, and that is the poetry and calligraphy directly painted or engraved on the pieces. The earliest examples of this type are from the end of the Ming Dynasty. Chang Mansheng and Zhu Ziye were the most prominent figures that left paintings and poetry on teapots. They initiated the development of art engraved on purple clay pottery, and the saying, “teapots are made legendary through words and words are made valuable through teapots.”
In recent years, new types of decorations have emerged, and a dazzling array of decorations and new handicrafts made from purple clay have captivated admirers and have made purple clay pottery more appealing than ever before. Purple clay pottery can not only be useful household items, they are also valuable collectibles. The purple clay teapot is “the best in the world” for making tea. Its substance and form are perfectly matched and it is a pleasure to use and to look at. People say that to make red tea, a deeper teapot should be used, and for green tea, a shallow one. For work or play, fatigue or stress, and especially for enjoying magnificent scenery or the quiet of a garden, it is an incomparable addition.
Purple clay pottery is praised and valued because of its special artistic form and deep cultural significance. Purple clay pottery is not only the symbol of Yixing, but also a foremost representative of Chinese traditional craft, a cultural treasure created and possessed by all of mankind. The development of cultural art has no borders. To develop the culture of purple clay pottery, it should be turned to the whole world and become amenable to all. It should be used and studied worldwide. History has given us purple clay pottery, and we should take up the task and responsibility for developing and studying it. This is a privilege that we have in our time.
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