Three Stories That Make You Love Purple Clay Even More
Intriguing legends about purple clay have been passed on the lips of Chinese tea lovers over time. Through these stories, we get clues about the start of purple clay tea ware and the status a good purple clay teapot may give its owner.
Who found purple clay first?
A long time ago in a small town named Yixing in southeastern China, the local villagers farmed every day. On their spare time, they made bowls and jugs for daily use. In this way, they led a simple and ordinary life.
But one day, a strange monk showed up at the town. He shouted while walking, "Clay makes you rich! Clay makes you rich!" The villagers looked at the monk curiously. The monk saw the confusion in the villagers' eyes, so he shouted again, "You can be rich if you are not royal family members!" Hearing these words, the villagers grew more bewildered, and gazed at the monk moving about. Soon the monk raised his voice, and set off in quicker paces.
One elderly villager was so curious that he followed the monk. When they went to Mt. Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) in Yixing, the monk disappeared suddenly. The elder looked about for him, but all he could find were some newly-opened caves. Looking inside the caves, he found multicolored pottery clay.
At this moment, the man suddenly saw the light: This must be the so-called 'lucrative clay'! So he carried some of it away and attempted to craft some pottery. When his work was done, he just couldn't believe what he saw. They presented distinctive colors unlike any he had ever seen before. He excitedly presented his creations to the locals, and they were amazed as well. As most of the items were purple, they gave a name 'purple clay' to the unusual material.
A beggar and his purple clay teapot
Once upon a time, there was a rich man who particularly enjoyed drinking tea. No matter who came to his home for tea, rich or poor, he would treat them well.
One day, a beggar came. Instead of food, he only asked for tea. A servant led him in, asked him to take a seat, and offered him a cup of tea. The beggar took a look at the tea, and said, "This tea is not good."
"Does this guy know what good tea is?" the servant said to himself, and made another cup of tea with the best tea leaves. The panhandler smelled at the rim of the cup, and commented again, "The tea leaves are good, but the water is subpar. The best water for brewing tea comes from the mountains."
The servant perceived this guy was not a common beggar, so he brewed another cup of tea at once with their well-reserved spring water. The beggar took a sip, and said, "This water is good, but the firewood is not good. Firewood gathered from this side of the mountain is inferior. The wood from the other side of the mountain is compact and hard, which is indispensable for brewing the best tea." The servant then hurried to fetch the best firewood, made tea once more, and asked his master to join them.
When the tea was ready, the rich man and the beggar drank a cup of it together. Then the beggar remarked, "Well, this time the tea leaves, water, firewood and fire are good, but the pot is not good." "This is the best pot I have," the rich man replied.
Then, the pauper pulled out an elegant purple clay teapot shining with natural gloss, and told the servant, "Please brew again with this pot." Guess what? The tea turned out to be perfectly good this time! The rich man hungered for this pot so much that he offered at once to buy it.
Saying nothing at all, the panhandler picked up his belongings and was about to go away. The landlord stood in the way at once, offered in a high voice, "I want to exchange half my house and property for that teapot." The panhandler did not reply, and just tried to leave. The landlord grew so anxious that he raised his pitch again, "All right, my entire house and property, ok?" Recognizing how much the landlord loves a good purple clay teapot, the panhandler smiled and said, "Well, I used to be wealthier than you, but now I have lost everything except this pot, and there's no way I'll trade it for anything."
A purple clay teapot equals a maid's life?
Once in China, a local administrator cared for purple clay teapots more than anything else. In his collection, he especially cherished an outstanding pot made by the most prominent potter at that time.
One day at tea time, a maid accidentally dropped and broke the precious pot as she served the official. The official flew into rage, and he demanded the maid compensate for his pot with her life.
When the potter heard this news, he picked up a dozen of his purple clay teapots and hurried to the magistrate's residence. The master potter made a suggestion to the magistrate, "Pick one of my best teapots and let the servant girl go."
This suggestion made the administrator quite pleased. He picked one of the ten pots, and ordered his guards to unshackle the maidservant.
Later on, the administrator brought forward another question, "Sir, would you like to sell me the other teapots?" The potter rose to his feet silently, and smashed every one of them.
Shocked, the official was at a loss for a minute. Then he asked in confusion, "What did you do that for?" Calmly and firmly the artisan replied, "I smashed them at the cost of no life. - 2361
Who found purple clay first?
A long time ago in a small town named Yixing in southeastern China, the local villagers farmed every day. On their spare time, they made bowls and jugs for daily use. In this way, they led a simple and ordinary life.
But one day, a strange monk showed up at the town. He shouted while walking, "Clay makes you rich! Clay makes you rich!" The villagers looked at the monk curiously. The monk saw the confusion in the villagers' eyes, so he shouted again, "You can be rich if you are not royal family members!" Hearing these words, the villagers grew more bewildered, and gazed at the monk moving about. Soon the monk raised his voice, and set off in quicker paces.
One elderly villager was so curious that he followed the monk. When they went to Mt. Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) in Yixing, the monk disappeared suddenly. The elder looked about for him, but all he could find were some newly-opened caves. Looking inside the caves, he found multicolored pottery clay.
At this moment, the man suddenly saw the light: This must be the so-called 'lucrative clay'! So he carried some of it away and attempted to craft some pottery. When his work was done, he just couldn't believe what he saw. They presented distinctive colors unlike any he had ever seen before. He excitedly presented his creations to the locals, and they were amazed as well. As most of the items were purple, they gave a name 'purple clay' to the unusual material.
A beggar and his purple clay teapot
Once upon a time, there was a rich man who particularly enjoyed drinking tea. No matter who came to his home for tea, rich or poor, he would treat them well.
One day, a beggar came. Instead of food, he only asked for tea. A servant led him in, asked him to take a seat, and offered him a cup of tea. The beggar took a look at the tea, and said, "This tea is not good."
"Does this guy know what good tea is?" the servant said to himself, and made another cup of tea with the best tea leaves. The panhandler smelled at the rim of the cup, and commented again, "The tea leaves are good, but the water is subpar. The best water for brewing tea comes from the mountains."
The servant perceived this guy was not a common beggar, so he brewed another cup of tea at once with their well-reserved spring water. The beggar took a sip, and said, "This water is good, but the firewood is not good. Firewood gathered from this side of the mountain is inferior. The wood from the other side of the mountain is compact and hard, which is indispensable for brewing the best tea." The servant then hurried to fetch the best firewood, made tea once more, and asked his master to join them.
When the tea was ready, the rich man and the beggar drank a cup of it together. Then the beggar remarked, "Well, this time the tea leaves, water, firewood and fire are good, but the pot is not good." "This is the best pot I have," the rich man replied.
Then, the pauper pulled out an elegant purple clay teapot shining with natural gloss, and told the servant, "Please brew again with this pot." Guess what? The tea turned out to be perfectly good this time! The rich man hungered for this pot so much that he offered at once to buy it.
Saying nothing at all, the panhandler picked up his belongings and was about to go away. The landlord stood in the way at once, offered in a high voice, "I want to exchange half my house and property for that teapot." The panhandler did not reply, and just tried to leave. The landlord grew so anxious that he raised his pitch again, "All right, my entire house and property, ok?" Recognizing how much the landlord loves a good purple clay teapot, the panhandler smiled and said, "Well, I used to be wealthier than you, but now I have lost everything except this pot, and there's no way I'll trade it for anything."
A purple clay teapot equals a maid's life?
Once in China, a local administrator cared for purple clay teapots more than anything else. In his collection, he especially cherished an outstanding pot made by the most prominent potter at that time.
One day at tea time, a maid accidentally dropped and broke the precious pot as she served the official. The official flew into rage, and he demanded the maid compensate for his pot with her life.
When the potter heard this news, he picked up a dozen of his purple clay teapots and hurried to the magistrate's residence. The master potter made a suggestion to the magistrate, "Pick one of my best teapots and let the servant girl go."
This suggestion made the administrator quite pleased. He picked one of the ten pots, and ordered his guards to unshackle the maidservant.
Later on, the administrator brought forward another question, "Sir, would you like to sell me the other teapots?" The potter rose to his feet silently, and smashed every one of them.
Shocked, the official was at a loss for a minute. Then he asked in confusion, "What did you do that for?" Calmly and firmly the artisan replied, "I smashed them at the cost of no life. - 2361
About the Author:
Author J. Jia has studied Chinese culture, calligraphy, and arts & crafts such as Chinese teapots for most of his life. From time to time, he endorses skilled Chinese craftsmen. View some fine Yixing teapots here.
posted by Marcondes Allen at 12:32 AM
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