I came across this artist at a weekend bazaar in Jingdezhen, China. Unlike other potters who display a large assortment of various shapes and sizes, this potter had just five teapots with matching tea trays under one theme: Blooming Flower & Full Moon (“花好月圆” in Chinese). I was instantly drawn to their simplicity and subtle sophistication.

I love imperfect teapots with a rustic appearance, but in years of looking high and low, I’ve found that it’s hard to find a piece that has an unrefined appearance, yet a graceful soul. I caught the potter’s attention, and asked: "Your teapots are truly a piece of art… do you only sell teapots? It will be lovely to have a fair cup and a few teacups to pair with it.”

He replied: ”Touch the teapot first. If you like it, I will introduce you to its partners."

So I held this little lovely teapot in my hand…

The lid fits just right… better than any yixing teapot that I had ever held before. I peered at the underside side of the lid and found that the potter had marked it with the year and location of its creation. The teapot itself was adorned with exceptional details. The handle was inspired by the twisted branch of his pet plant. The floral top of the lid and button petal was inspired by the lotus flower. Unlike the traditional hole or ball filter, this teapot features a unique shape with one central circle and three fan-like holes on the side, which you have to see in person (my camera couldn't catch the details). The texture of the body is coarse, and you can really feel the clay.

The experience of handling this teapot while listening to the potter tell his story was a magical moment for me. He grew up in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, where our KMT Dancong tea leaves are grown. He was immersed in a tea culture where people play with their teapot (in Chinese “把玩“), and it became clear to me that this potter’s sole intention is to create something special… a teapot that reveals something new and wonderful every time you use it. He explained: “That's the best part of playing with your teapot.”

We talked and talked, and he invited me to his studio (miles away from the bazaar) where he showed me the matching fair cup and teacups. The fair cup is designed in a way that best fits the way people pour their tea. The sided handles are inspired by the shape of a lily pad in a folded form, and the top of the fair cup is designed to fit the shape of your hand. The fair cup doesn't want to take much of your attention, but it holds the exact same volume as the teapot, and has a solid flat circle stand. As for the matching teacups, the potter just wants to end his design in a round and simple way.

On the package, he writes the name of this set in Chinese characters, and where and when they were created. He explained it's a way of documenting a story or a journey. For the buyer, it makes the purchase of his teaware very intimate. All of his handmade teaware comes with his original package and seal. I truly have never come across another potter who puts such careful thought into his creations… from start to finish.

Lastly, the clay he uses is phenomenal. Although it won’t sweeten or change the taste like some of our other Yixing teapots, this teapot will make your tea taste mellow. Over time, the tea will interact with the clay, and the interior of the teapot will gradually gain a blue hue glaze. Another new and unexpected treat that comes from "playing with the teapot.”

Please note that this potter’s work comes as a whole set, and we don’t sell them separately. The whole set includes a teapot, a matching tea tray, a fair cup, and two matching teacups.

Teapot:
Height: 7.5 cm
Length: 8.5 cm
Width: 9.1 cm
Volume: 75 ml

Matching Tea Tray:
Diameter: 12 cm
Height: 2 cm

Fair Cup:
Height: 7 cm
Length: 7 cm
Width: 6 cm
Volume: 70 - 80 ml

Teacups:Height: 8.3 cm
Height: 3.5 cm
Diameter: 6.4 cm
Volume: 30 ml