Speaking of tea sets, I have to mention the famous Yixing purple clay teapots. They are made of purple clay produced only in the Yixing region in Jiangsu Province. Yixing teapot is made without any glaze, so air can flow through it. This keeps the tea inside the pot from turning stale or discolored. Very useful is it during summer, by allowing the tea to remain drinkable for a long time.

Yixing purple clay teapots have been used since the Song Dynasty a thousand years ago. Nowadays, they are found all over the world, including the second floor of Baigong Handicraft Museum. There, I discovered an interesting workshop specializing in making and selling the finest purple clay teapots.

Stepping inside, I was fortunate enough to find the shop owner teaching a student how to make a tea pot. I watched for 20 minutes before I started chatting with the owner. He told me he’s from Yixing, and has been making purple clay teapots for 20 years. Completing a pot usually takes him more than ten days. But these days, he makes tea pots only for fun.

In a showcase on right side shows some of the finest pots he made. He said these were some of the finest Yixing pots today, most of them are inscribed with Chinese calligraphy. Prices are high. For example, a small pot inscribed with Chinese characters "Qing Feng", or "Fresh Breeze", cost RMB 10,000.

What I appreciated

A teapot-making master

What customers appreciate

Exquisite purple clay tea pots, collector’s item