Since the Ming Dynasty, purple clay has been the most cherished collection among Chinese literati and scholars. Historically, the most celebrated friendship is that between Qing Dynasty poet, painter, and bibliophile Wang Wenbai and Chen Mingyuan. After being introduced to the master potter Chen Mingyuan by Chen Weisong, Wang Wenbai wrote the poem “Ceramics Ode to Chen Mingyuan,” singing the most touching verses in poems praising purple clay: “Alas, how can pearls and jades in this world be worth taking, compared to a lump of soil from Yangxian Creek.”
The legend of purple clay originates from its natural mineral content, carefully processed by artisans and smelted into exquisite works of art in the furnace. Today, a purple clay Teapot can easily fetch thousands of yuan, and many of them are made using artificially mixed minerals, imitating ancient methods. There are fewer and fewer Teapots made with natural minerals as used in ancient times. The precious mineral materials collected by Han Guoqing come from the original mines in Huanglong Mountain, Yixing, and are unique, irreplaceable natural treasures.
Purple clay minerals differ from purple clay mud
Before the 1990s, purple clay minerals were not considered valuable. Therefore, when people started valuing purple clay teapots, there was rampant over-mining of Yixing's purple clay mines, which led to a temporary ban on mining for several years. Many local craftsmen preserved the already extracted mineral materials by refining them into mud. However, different minerals were often mixed without precise ratios and with insufficient skill, leading to teapots that lacked the fine quality texture. This explains why many collectors, despite owning purple clay teapots, do not experience the miraculous effects described in ancient texts regarding the teapots' brewing capabilities.
Han Guoqing and a friend from Yixing jointly collect purple clay minerals, preserving various high-quality, colorful, and rare coexisting minerals. A significant portion of these collections cannot now be extensively mined from new mines. Purple clay teapots made from these natural minerals naturally possess unique value.
Rare purple clay teapots speak for themselves
Since the Ming Dynasty, purple clay has been the most cherished collection among China's literati and scholars. Historically, the most celebrated friendship is that between Qing Dynasty poet, painter, and bibliophile Wang Wenbai and Chen Mingyuan. After being introduced to the master potter Chen Mingyuan by Chen Weisong, Wang Wenbai wrote the poem “Ceramics Ode to Chen Mingyuan,” singing the most touching verses in poems praising purple clay: “Alas, how can pearls and jades in this world be worth taking, compared to a lump of soil from Yangxian Creek.”
Why did purple clay teapots gain popularity among literati? When Han Guoqing holds a purple clay teapot made by reviving ancient methods and using high-quality natural minerals, he reveals the mystery. “A good purple clay teapot speaks for itself; it makes a sizzling sound when water is poured. This natural material reaction adds a mystical poetic element to the Tea ceremony. Yixing purple clay teapots neither overpower the true fragrance of tea nor impart a cooked flavor. They can maintain the color, aroma, and taste of the tea for a relatively long time. Over time, a purple clay teapot, steeped in tea water and caressed by hand, turns the color of ancient jade, making it particularly suitable for collection and appreciation.”
When collecting purple clay minerals, choose the best of the best
Purple clay is a natural resource, and purple clay teapots should also be made using natural minerals. Why, then, is it more valuable to collect rare premium minerals from the vein?
Han Guoqing explains that most raw materials provided by nature can generally be divided into three grades: superior, medium, and inferior. However, when the market is not yet focused on a particular category, there is no significant difference in price between different grades. Once a category becomes popular for collection, a significant price gap emerges between high-quality raw materials and mediocre or poor-quality ones.