About Inner Painting Tea Sets
Inner Painting, or painting inside glass spheres or snuff bottles, originated during the Ming Dynasty. The craft came about
when the elegant art of painting and ceramics making in China had reached a peak.In the 18th century, a young Buddhist monk
found himself inspired by a carelessly discarded empty snuff bottle. The monk noticed that the bottle's previous owner had
scraped the inside of the snuff bottle in a vain attempt to remove additional snuff. In the process, a curious blend of marks
and scratches had inadvertently been left behind on the bottle's inner wall. Inspired by these haphazard marks, the monk invented
a way to paint elegant images rivaling the best of traditional Ming painting inside the bottle through a tiny opening in the
bottle's mouth. This style, spread by word of mouth, developed in sophistication over the next several centuries. It soon
became a status symbol for sophisticated and wealthy Chinese to exchange inner painting bottles as a form of gift giving.
The Chinese gentry of the Ming and especially Qing dynasties focused their creative energies on causing their most
About "Zisha" Teapots
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in China, leaf infusion as we know it now became popular. The earliest examples
of teapots come from this period, made from the zisha, or "purple" clay, of the YiXing region of China. Pottery in the YiXing
tradition has been strong since the Sung Dynasty (960-1279); wares are valued for their fine texture, thin walls, and naturally
beautiful coloration ranging from light buff to deep maroon tones. The transition from drinking bowls to teapots was a smooth
one. YiXing teapots were, and still are, used to brew tea as well as act as the drinking vessel -- one sips directly from
the spout of a single-serving pot. YiXing teapots gradually season, the unglazed clay absorbing the flavor of brewed tea,
making them a favorite choice for tea lovers. The dissemination of YiXing teapots greatly influenced not only the forms of
teapots found throughout the world, but also prompted the invention of hard-paste porcelain in the western world A very unique
and simple design, fit the modern life. It is a combination of the classical and the stylish.
Please keep in mind the following teapots are small oriental pots, not the big 'brown
betty' style... about two cups will fit in these special teapots.
If you are looking for 'brown betty' style and other english and american types of teapots
and sets hurry on over to Cooking.com, you will LOVE their selection!
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