The term “Yixing purple clay Teapot,” as a specialized term, took five hundred years to achieve a “unified” designation. However, have you ever wondered if there were other names or nicknames besides this “official name”? The answer is yes!

Va Bottle, “In recent times, there are many famous artisans in minor crafts, and most of them are from Wu. Among the Va Bottles, Gong Chun and Shi Dabin's works can fetch prices as high as two to three thousand cash. Gong Chun pieces, in particular, are considered rare, with their yellow texture that is smooth and glossy like jade.” — Excerpt from “Fanzhonglang's Notes” by Yuan Zhonglang.

Ouzhu, “The products made recently in Raozhou are not very suitable for use. In the past, Teapots made by Gong Chun, and those produced recently by Shi Bin, are highly valued by people of our time.” — From “Tea Commentary” written by Xu Chishu in 1597.

Yangxian Tea Pot, Zhou Gaoqi wrote “The Yangxian Tea Pot Series” in 1644, which is the earliest known monograph on Yixing purple clay teapots (discussing the origins, development, notable makers, and schools of purple clay teapots).

Yixing Jars, Sand Jars, “Among Yixing jars, those made by Gong Chun are the best, followed by Shi Dabin and Chen Yongqing. For tin jugs, Wang Yuangji is the best, followed by Gui Maode. Sand jars are made of sand, and tin jugs are made of tin. The moment they are crafted, a jar or jug can be worth five to six taels of Silver. This means that the value of sand and tin is equal to their weight, which is indeed strange.” — Excerpt from “Dreamy Memories of Tao'an” written by Zhang Dai during the Ming Dynasty.

Yi Teapot, “The creator of Yi teapots was Gong Chun, and contemporarily, the master Shi Dabin. Bi Shan's silver utensils and Pu Qianzhu's bamboo carvings are all divine in their respective arts.” — From “Gift to High Official Gao Danren with Two Yi Teapots Attached and Poems” by Chen Weisong.

Ceramic Teapot, “In recent times, there are many famous artisans in minor crafts, mostly from Wu. Ceramic teapots made by Gong Chun and Shi Dabin can fetch prices as high as two to three thousand cash. Bronze furnaces are associated with Hu Si, fans with He Dezhi, and tin wares with Zhao Liangbi. Connoisseurs vie to purchase these items. Indeed, their craftsmanship is exquisite, surpassing that of others, and their fame is well-deserved.” — Excerpt from “Juyi Records” by Wang Shizhen of the Qing Dynasty.

Gongchun Small Teapot, “In Taiwan County, people brew their own tea, and they must first smell its aroma. They place great importance on small Gongchun teapots. Gongchun was the name of a servant girl of Wu Yishan, who made Yixing tea pots, sometimes incorrectly referred to as Gong Chun. A single one used for decades could be worth a large sum of money.” — Excerpt from “Taiyang Hundred Songs with Annotations” by Zhou Shu of the Qing Dynasty.

Jingxi Teapot, “When brewing tea according to the method described in ‘Tea Commentary,' it is as fast as wind and rain. In one room, there are bright windows and clean tables, along with more than ten kinds of Jingxi teapots and Cheng-Xuan porcelain cups, all exquisitely made…” — Excerpt from “Dreamy Memories of Tao'an” written by Zhang Dai during the Ming Dynasty.

Shi Dabin Lei, “Since I came to Yangxian, a guest showed me a small Shi Dabin lei, which was quite expensive. I disliked it and said that I would only feel satisfied by smashing it. As for the so-called Shi Dabin, I would feel content only if he were banished to the four corners of the world…” — Excerpt from “Record of Shi Dabin's Affairs” by Xu Yinglei in “Ming Wenhai.”

Yixing clay teapot, “In recent times, artisans with unique skills include Pu Zhongqian in bamboo carving, Jiang Qianli in nacre inlay, Zhang Mingqi in copper furnaces from Jiaxing, and Shi Dabin in Yixing clay teapots…” — Excerpt from “Occasional Talks by the Northern Pool” compiled by Wang Shizhen of the Qing Dynasty.

Yixing Tea Pot, “I once told my friend Qian Xiaoxie: ‘…Yixing tea pots cannot carve landscapes, and even if they imitate ancient paintings, the results are not good.' These few words truly capture the essence of the craft.” — Excerpt from “Talks in the Ink Forest Today” by Jiang Baoleng of the Qing Dynasty.

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