Misconceptions in Purchasing and Using Purple Clay Teapots

After initially encountering purple clay teapots, enthusiasts will come across various pieces of knowledge about them. However, some of this so-called knowledge is actually marketing hype created by Teapot sellers.

If enthusiasts use these standards when purchasing and using teapots, they are falling into a misconception. Let's analyze this briefly today.

Inverted without the Lid Falling Off

▲Inverted with Full Water

This is actually a selling point for merchants, claiming good air-tightness. At first glance, it seems correct, but it doesn't really make much sense.

In fact, it's merely a matter of “the physical principle of internal and external air pressure,” which prevents the lid from falling off. Moreover, this mostly applies to teapot shapes like the Concubine, while shapes like the Shifou or Hanwa cannot be inverted at all.

▲Hanwa Teapot Shape

There's also the case where you can lift the entire teapot by pinching the knob without it falling off. These are examples of “the skill of crafting the teapot's mouth,” which is a separate issue from whether the teapot is well-made.

Therefore, enthusiasts should not use inversion as a criterion when purchasing a teapot.

Three Mountains Aligned

This was also discussed in previous articles: Does it mean that the teapot is not good if the spout, the mouth, and the handle are not on the same horizontal line? Is this due to poor craftsmanship?

▲Three Mountains Aligned

Aligning the three mountains in a straight line during teapot making is very easy to achieve. Some teapots are not aligned because they have been adjusted for practical use and aesthetic structure.

▲Persimmon Teapot

For example, in a persimmon teapot, the spout must be higher than the mouth. If the three mountains were aligned in a straight line, the water inside the teapot would overflow from the spout before it was even full, which does not meet the standard.

So, enthusiasts should not use the alignment of the three mountains as a criterion when purchasing a teapot.

Inner Wall Seal

The distinction between fully handmade and semi-handmade has perhaps been analyzed and discussed since enthusiasts first encountered purple clay. Many enthusiasts often believe that a teapot with an inner wall seal is fully handmade.

▲Inner Wall Seal

This is not necessarily true. Nowadays, some merchants sell teapots at a higher price by passing off semi-handmade ones as fully handmade, and the difference in the inner wall seal has been overcome.

▲Soft Seal Pressed onto Inner Wall

Small rubber soft seals are stamped on the inner wall of the teapot, creating a false impression of a fully handmade product. Many beginners are unable to distinguish between the two, with only a few experienced players able to discern differences through deformation and the depth of the marks.

So, enthusiasts should not assume that a teapot with an inner wall seal is fully handmade.

Note: Enthusiasts should also avoid stigmatizing semi-handmade teapots, thinking that they are inferior. Semi-handmade teapots and slip-cast model teapots are entirely different concepts.

Sugarcane Tofu Preparation

Finally, there's the preparation method, the “sugarcane tofu preparation” is complete nonsense, and enthusiasts should stop doing this.

▲Tofu Sugarcane Preparation

This method of preparation was originally proposed by merchants, catering to a sense of ritual in people, rather than being a genuine traditional method of preparing the teapot.

▲Rinsing and Cleaning

Clean the teapot, rinse it with hot water, then steep Tea leaves in it for a long time, and finally pour out and clean thoroughly before normal use.

The four points mentioned above are common mistakes that many beginner enthusiasts often make, and they need to be aware of them. Experienced enthusiasts may also share this information with friends to prevent them from falling into similar pitfalls.

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