Tea and culture, especially poems, music and artwork have been complementary from the dawn of our era.

Different kilns have become famous for the fine pottery and tea accessories produced to accompany tea drinking. Yi hsing is particularly well-known for the quality of the local clay used – a superb deep purple colour. The Yi hsing teapot is considered one of the best among professional ‘tea drinkers’. Meanwhile emperors and princes drank from exquisite teacups of translucent jade encrusted with precious stones or finely embossed porcelain.

Today, teapots and teacups can be found in the most amazing colours and forms either delicate or homely. Many are collectors items, and who can resist becoming a simple collector too. It is not necessary to spend excessively, some of the most simple items are the most beautiful.

Poetry has also provided a medium for tea lovers to express their delight in the brew:

An early poem by Du Yu (3-4th century) loosely translated goes like this :

"At the summit of Ling shan 
An extraordinary bush covers the hillside
In fertile soil, plentiful dew, and moist clouds
This plant grows in abundance.
On autumn days a countryman's work is light
An opportunity to make the most of the day, in small groups to climb the mountain, and gather the leaves. 
With clear stream water the leaves are boiled in finely decorated bowls from the Zhi jiang kilns - then drunk from tiny cups resembling little calabash.
It is thus that the old sage Gong Liu drank his wine.
The infusion at the surface forms a foam white as snow, whilst in the depths of the bowl the leaves collect liberating a delicious flavour and perfume."

By subscribing to my webpage you can regularly find out more about beautiful tea accessories; poems; paintings and traditional music to accompany tea moments.