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Song and Yuan Dynasty Tea Utensils in Vogue

Tea News · May 06, 2025

At the age of 57, the Tea Seller practiced the way of tea cultivation. He brought his own tea utensils to the Xiangguo Temple area where he sold tea, built the Immortal Passage Pavilion, hung a tea flag here, set up a tea stove, and placed a copper money cylinder. On the bamboo tube in front of the tea pavilion, it was written: “A hundred taels is not too much, half a coin is not too little, free drinking is also fine, just no change given.”

Afterwards, the Tea Seller's reputation soared, and his door was always filled with guests. Opportunists desperately collected all kinds of his utensils. However, before his death, the Tea Seller burned all of his tea wares into ashes. His actions and philosophy of life inspired the creative passion of contemporary literati, greatly influencing the tea practitioners, painters, and poets of the time.

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This Tea Seller's Tea Utensil Diagram, a copy by Kyo No Kiyoyoshi, illustrates 33 pieces of the Tea Seller (Gyō Ōtsuji)'s tea wares, all colorfully painted woodblock prints, very finely detailed. It also allows a glimpse at the general shapes of Tang and Song ancient utensils. The original is housed in the Waseda University Library in Japan. Due to its popularity among domestic tea enthusiasts, Qiyue Book Studio replicated it according to the original, using modern xuan paper color printing technology, and bound it with traditional craft bookbinding techniques, achieving a perfect presentation of this masterpiece.

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Tea Stove Niche: A small alcove for placing a tea stove.

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All-Container Basket: After Drinking Tea, store all the tea utensils for use another day.

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Hurriedly Fired Pot: Also known as a Hurriedly Needed pot, a vessel name for boiling tea or warming wine.

Copper Stove: Used for firing up to boil tea, made from wrought iron, or a clay stove could be used as a substitute.

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Mother-and-Child Cups: A set of tea cups.

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Gourd Ladle: Most often made from a gourd. Used for ladling water.

Pouring Jug: An ancient Han Chinese wine vessel. Made from metal or porcelain. It can sit in a pouring bowl. Started in late Tang, popular during the Song and Yuan periods. Served an insulating function.

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Money Cylinder: Stored ancient coins, mostly made of bamboo.

Black Wooden Caddy: Purpose unknown, but based on the text on the object, it seems to be a receptacle for waste.

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Tea Canister: A tin canister for storing tea leaves. Because tin provides stable airtightness, it is often used for storing tea.

Blowpipe: A pipe for blowing fire when starting the stove. A necessary tea utensil for street tea sellers.

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Dust Rug: A blanket for laying down or covering.

Dregs Basin: Also called a water basin, a container for holding used tea leaves and wastewater.

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Shoulder Pole: Similar to a carrying pole, for carrying loads.

Money Cylinder: Bamboo cylinders of various sizes used for storing coins.

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Water Jug: A jug for pouring water.

Tile Stove: As the name suggests, made from tile for firing up to boil tea.

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Charcoal Basket: A container for holding charcoal used for heating water, often made from bamboo strips with black oiled paper on the inside.

Small Stove: A stove for firing up.

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Carrier Basket: A basket for storing miscellaneous items.

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Stove Enclosure: A bamboo basket placed around the stove for insulation and protection.

Pouring Jug: An ancient wine jug. Made from metal or porcelain. Can sit in a pouring bowl.

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Charcoal Hammer: A hammer used for breaking charcoal.

Tea Drying Hook: Also known as a tea drying rack, a bamboo basket wrapped with reed leaves. Because reed leaves have the effect of reducing heat, they can prevent the tea from turning yellow. Tea placed in the tea drying rack requires gentle heat drying.

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Tea Water Basin: A container for holding used tea water.

Utensil Stand: Used for displaying tea utensils, now commonly referred to as a tea stand.

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Tea Flag: Similar to today's shop signs, used to attract customers.

Tea Caddy: A canister for storing tea leaves. In Japan, it is called a tea caddy or tea heart pot.

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Ash Stove: A type of stove for heating water. There is no air vent below. In modern Japanese tea utensils, it has developed

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