In China, a great number of tea lovers are very particular about both tea and tea ware. Naturally, some of them are very keen on purple clay teapots, which they say are the best for brewing tea. One purple clay teapot collector named Liu Tianbao can give us insight into this deep part of Chinese culture.

The Bad Buy

As a child, Liu was greatly influenced by his father’s love of purple clay flowerpots. He was crazy about miniature gardens, so there were a lot of flower pots made of Yixing purple clay in their home. Liu learned the special qualities of purple clay from his father.

In the 1970s, there were just a few antique markets in Beijing. Liu went shopping just like his father had, and began visiting Tianqiao, Deshenmen, and Shichahai, all venues that featured traditional items. He was searching for ‘treasures.’

One day, Liu hit a second-hand curio market. He purchased nearly 50 secondhand Yixing purple clay teapots! Then he hurried home excitedly, and dipped all the treasures into a tank. He was petrified by what he saw. The handles and spouts dropped one by one off the teapots. It turns out he bought many worthless, broken teapots pieced together by glue. He was taught a costly lesson.

Destiny’s Pot

In 1986, Liu made a trip to Tianjin. At a local antique market he took a fancy to a quaint purple clay teapot. Regrettably, the price was more than he could afford, and the seller refused to bargain with Liu. In the end, Liu had to part with the pot reluctantly. However, this was not the end. In 1996, Liu unexpectedly discovered the same teapot at a secondhand antique market in Beijing. He didn’t skip the chance a second time. He bought it right away.

He concluded that this purple clay teapot was made by Pei Shimin, a master potter of Yixing in the late Qing Dynasty. It was covered with a layer of yellow glaze. The teapot, which had gone through two separate firings, was exceptionally beautiful. Nowadays, this kind of purple clay teapot can only be seen at the Forbidden City or in museums.

Save a Pot or Save a Hip?

Liu treasures his purple clay teapots to the uttermost, for he knows their intrinsic worth. One day he purchased a rare purple clay teapot from the late Qing dynasty. He felt very glad. He put the pot into his backpack with great care, and then rode away on his bike. On the way, he kept singing his favorite songs.

When halfway there, however, a grey-haired man suddenly slipped in front of Liu’s bike. In order to avoid the old man, Liu swerved his bike and fell off right away. In a fraction of a second, he held on to the purple clay teapot with both hands, and his hipbone fell onto the ground heavily. The teapot was intact, but Liu was stuck in bed for 12 months due to a hip fracture. Nowadays, his friends still take delight in talking about Liu’s great sacrifice to the purple clay teapot.

Since the first batch of damaged teapots Liu bought, more than 30 years have passed. He is very proud of his collection of purple clay teapots. He considers them his beloved sons. He is acknowledged as an outstanding purple clay teapot collector.

Liu believes that a purple clay master blends his life, inspiration, and pursuit in his work. To Liu, each purple clay teapot or even each grain of purple clay represents good taste and knowledge.