YiXing Teapots’ Great Grandmother
In all the stories of the origin of YiXing teapots, only this teapot has its undoubtable identity. It’s the great grandmother of YiXing teapots.
This earliest of all YiXing teapot is dated back to 1533. It was excavated in NanJing from the Ming Dynasty eunuch (palace servant) Wu Jing’s tomb. It is THE oldest solid evidence of YiXing teapots.
This particular teapot is, however, not a YiXing teapot by strict definition. Firstly, it is not made of pure Zisha. Secondly, it’s making process differs slightly form that of YiXing teapots. Thirdly, this teapot was used for boiling instead of brewing Chinese tea.
Although this teapot is not a 100% YiXing teapot, it marked the transition of Chinese tea from being boiled to being brewed (process completed during 1531 – 1595). It is indubitably the earliest piece of YiXing Zisha ware. It carries with it perhaps the most important artistic and archeological value for YiXing teapots.
Teapot is now a collection of the NanJing Museum.
The sun rose and set today in twelve hours.
We plucked golden pears from arching branches.
Climbing a thousand steps to a rustic temple,
We made our offerings to the gods.
At nightfall, we sat in warm companionship.
A crescent moon joined our circle.
Dipping water from the silver-braided stream,
We set it bubbling in an earthenware pot.
It’s not easy to brew good tea,
But this teapot has a venerable history:
A scholar once pawned all his books for it.
Now it imparts the flavor of antiquity.
Autumn equinox is the time to reflect upon life. If we have enjoyed a bountiful harvest, we express our thanks. If the year has been difficult so far, then we are happy for what we do have and resolve to do better once the chance comes. The appreciation of life does not require wealth or plenty. It requires only gratitude for the beauty of the world.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John Fitzgerald Kennedy
“You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world’s happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.” — Dale Carnegie
“Appreciation of life itself, becoming suddenly aware of the miracle of being alive, on this planet, can turn what we call ordinary life into a miracle.” — Dan Wakefield
My year has been a good one, full of a great deal of bounty and a good harvest. I very much appreciate where I am now, entering the autumn period of my life. I have two wonderful sons, a great husband, a small house I enjoy and a garden, two beautiful golden retrievers and a lovely furry cat. Twenty-five years of marriage were marked with a wonderful anniversary trip to Paris.
And I’m grateful that I’ve finally woken up to see the beauty of the world, and to be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of a good cup of tea, companionship, and crescent moons.
It’s a tough time of year for me. Six years ago on September 25th, my mother passed away, and this time of year brings up many of those memories. Passing into autumn now feels like truly passing into the autumn of my life, bringing with it those feelings of losing my parents. I retreat into myself, and am sad and quiet, contemplating, and others don’t see why, so I prefer to be alone when I am feeling this way. But I also appreciate the many good memories, the wonderful examples of life I learned from my parents, and that I can carry on some of their work in my own way, through my pet therapy work and helping my kids become bright, creative scientists and computer geeks. I think my parents would appreciate who I have become, and who they are as well.
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