It's the play, not the object.

When you understand something too thoroughly, it becomes uninteresting to engage with.

Whether shape or material, there was originally nothing; where then could dust settle?

A Teapot that has never been used to Brew Tea is always incomplete.

Teapot, teapot. Only tea can give it a soul.

All standards of judgment, when the passion fades, return to tranquility.

Only the memories of the tea, the friends, and those fleeting moments become eternal, flowing into one's heart, surging up in the mind, transforming into a warmth.

When you see an object and think of a person, every material feels smooth, every shape looks spirited.

This might be what friends refer to as “loving the dog because of the owner!”

(Jiang Rong's work)

In fact, many complex issues have simple answers. It's not difficult to find the answer, but it's rare to act in accordance with it.

“Look more, buy less” is regarded as gospel by many enthusiasts, yet how many can suppress their passion and endure loneliness? If we apply some methods, could we achieve better results? For example, every teapot should be used for brewing tea, and no new teapot should be added until the previous one has developed patina. Good Teapots are always available, but funds are not always plentiful. Even the worst teapot must have had something appealing to you when you bought it, and over time, it naturally acquires your own flavor and character. When a bond forms between a person and a teapot, external evaluations become less important. And when you acquire another teapot, the one you've already nurtured to perfection becomes an invisible benchmark. In this way, you have advanced.

(Cao Wanfen's work)

Forgive my arrogance, but after reviewing numerous “Yixing clay learning threads” across various forums, they all seem to cover superficial knowledge. You will never advance reading these. Superficial knowledge consists of conceptual information that sounds correct but lacks practical applicability. Even if there are “advanced” posts, they read like essays, formless yet coherent, resonating only with players at the same level, lacking practical guidance.

(Gu Jingzhou's work)

Talking about clay with someone who has never seen raw ore or the process of preparing clay, or discussing craftsmanship with someone who has never seen a mold or the making of a teapot—can you truly grasp anything from just a few pictures circulating on forums? Even if you buy a large number of finished teapots, does that make you an expert? Many honest artisans who have made countless teapots say they are merely makers, buying their clay and not daring to comment on it. Isn't it a bit childish to start debating materials after buying a bunch of finished teapots?

(Tang Fengzhi's work)

“Yixing,” we can visit with a pilgrim's heart, but there's no need to buy “artifacts” at pilgrim prices. If our goal is simply to learn more about Yixing clay, rather than spending a fortune on rarities, we might spend that money observing the pot-making process in Yixing, watching the mining and preparation of clay, and witnessing the firing and cooling of pots, even participating ourselves if possible.

(Shao Daheng's work)