Yixing, a picturesque city, is located on the Taihu Lake. The city is famous for its plentiful products, fertile land, rich resources and outstanding talents. Of the products, the most charming is ceramics. Based on the textual and archaeological researches in Neolithic Age as far 5000 years ago, the forefathers of Yixing were engaged in the farming and the pottery marking. Recent years have often found some ruins of ancient pottery workshops and kilns in its territory. In Yixing Ding Shu Town, there are 5 neolithic site (5000 years ago), 3 Han Dynasty kiln site (Before 206-A.D.220), 3 Six Dynasty kilns (A.D.420-A.D581), 9 Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty kilns (A.D.581-A.D.907), 20 Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty kilns (A.D.960-A.D.1368), 60 Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty kilns (A.D.1368-A.D.1911). One of the Tang Dynasty's Dragon Kiln lies east of Ding Shu Town. It is 700 square meters, 80 stere, and has fire ware ability. So, Yixing purple clay teapots were produced base on long pottery tradition in Yixing.
Map of Yixing
Another important diathesis, Yixing is a famous tea area in China ancient, one kind of Yixing tea (call: Yun Wu Tea) was as palace tea on Tang Dynasty early, the quantity is over 5000 kgs. On Tang Dynasty, there are ten thousands tea workers for pick tea every year, there are 30 tea factories. China's most famous tea master Mr Lu Yu comes to Yixing for drinking tea time after time on Tang Dynasty.
Photo of Yixing Purple Clay
The most important diathesis is that rare purple clay was found in the mountain of Ding Shu Town in Yixing. The purple clay have very unique characteristic, it is the best material for teapot on this world. In 1976, one Song Dynasty Dragon Kiln was found on Yiang Jiao Mountain of Ding Shu Town, many purple clay fragmentary purple teapot pieces were unearthed. It is also affirmed by Song Dynasty poem, some Song Dynasty's poem mentioned purple clay teapot, so it is accepted that Yixing purple clay teapot was produced on Song Dynasty midterm time, but some specialists thinked it was produced on Ming Dynasty.
Mr Zhou Gao Qi, one writer who live on Ming Dynasty, who has written "Yang Xian Tea Pot Series" (PS: Yixing was called "Yang Xian" in ancient), this is the earliest book that special describe the originate and technology feature of yixing purple clay tea pot, with purple clay material. To the origins of purple teapot, he told us: "One white foot monk who live in Jing Sha temple in Ding Shu, he like study pottery with potters, slowly original create simple and unique teapot with purple clay for own enjoy it." (PS: there are many temples in China ancient, many monks enjoy tea use bowl on there, but it is very regret that people cannot find his teapot on this world).
Mr Wu Yu Shan, a Jing Si (college student) in Zhen De Year Ming Dynasty (1514), come to Jing Sha temple for his study, Gong Cun who his servant come to there also. In carefree time, Gong Cun study make purple teapot under the monk, he imitated one old tree side the temple and made unique Gong Cun teapot (PS: This teapot is collected in China History Museum now, the cover have losed, the cover was added by Qing Dynasty Master Wang Yu Ling). So people think Gong Cun is the founder of Yixing Purple Clay teapot.
Photo of Gong Cun's 'ShuYing Teapot'
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