Tea Wares

1.      History of Tea Wares

Tea wares have been used for a long time in Chinea.

In Lu Yu’s Tea Classics the green porcelain from Shaoxing like crystal or jade with elegant design and exquisite decoration is described as the best in the Tang Dynasty. Tea wares made of metals were served and for civilians porcelain and earthen wares were commonly used.

In the Song Dynasty, black glazed teacups were preferred, because of the white foam. When boiled water was added to the teacup the most desirable white foam came up. Against the black tea ware it was easy to observe.

In the Yuan Dynasty, Grey/white porcelain tea wares were the best.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, tea was made up by pouring boiled water onto loose tea leaves. The tea liquor turned yellowish white, so snow-white teacups replaced the black-glazed tea ware of the Song Dynasty.

In the middle of the Ming, with the advent of purple clay tea ware, focus was not limited to the color contrast of tea liquor and tea ware, but switched to the fragrance and taste of tea. The production of various teapots came to its pinnacle.

In the Qing Dynasty, production of white glazed porcelain tea-wares was thriving.

2.      Appreciation of the Tea Wares

Tea wares consist of ovens, tea rollers, teapots, cups, tea bowls, and trays and so on. Among them tea cups and tea pots are most important.

There are two stages for people to choose tea cups. One is that before purple clay teapot（Zi Sha Hu）, attention was paid to the color. For example, Green tea goes with white porcelain without a cover; scented tea goes with celadon or blue and white porcelain with a cover. The other is after purple clay teapot, people care about both color and taste of tea. The harmonious combination of function, material, and color of tea ware is essential to excellent tea.

3.      Production of Tea Wares

In line with the popularity of tea drinking , various kinds of tea wares went on developing. Tea wares are made of different materials. All of materials make a rich and colourful varieties of tea wares in the history of tea-drinking in China. The materials are: earthen clay, porcelains, bronze, tin, jade, lacquer, glass and ceramic.

JIngdezhen, jin Jiangxi Provence, is the porcelain capital. It is known to the world by its grey glazed porcelains with flower patterns since the Yuan Dynasty. Tea wares made for the royal family are from Jingdezhen. Black glazed tea ware from Fujian is dominant. Purple clay tea wares emerged in Yixing, Jiangsu Province.

If you want to know more Chinese Culture, please check http://www.no-1chineselearning.com