Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Yuan dynasty (tea) plate

Last week, I received this little dirty plate and almost wanted to cry, so happy I was:

You probably think I am totally crazy now. Few people get so excited about their non-alcoholic beverages. Probably even fewer will want to collect such an old, dirty plate. So let me make a plea for sanity. Consider the following pictures after a first cleaning:

Top:


Below

Details


Now, when I brew old or very fine tea in a teapot, I use what in reality is a Yuan dynasty (1277-1367) plate under the teapot. Its beauty, its age, the tea (and some ancient Chinese music) are turning my tea tastings into a little paradise on earth. Not so crazy, after all!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where did you find this very beautiful little plate ? Do you know where it commes from ? What it was used for in the past ?
I also use a plate, a qing celadon, as cha chuan...and my pleasure is always greater and greater...I understand what you feel...
Lionel

TeaMasters said...

I got this plate from the potter who makes the zhuni teapots in my selection. He has a big collection of ancient ware.
I will see him again this week and ask him more details about it.