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The essential mineral of Zisha pugs are rock quartz, mica,clay and hematite, etc, they formed a symbiotic crumb structure. During the firing process, further formed the double stomatal structure. This kind of stomatal structure, can make a pot had the impermeable barrier and good breathability. Purple clay's unique properties make it ideal for brewing tea. The quality most immediately apparent is the attractive color of purple clay. This color, sometimes augmented by natural pigments, is never hidden on YiXing teapots by glazes. Similarly, the inside of YiXing teapots are always left uncoated. The porous nature of purple clay absorbs the flavor, smell,and color of the tea that is brewed in it. All of purple clay teapots are certified to be lead free. And since no glazes are used on the teapots, they are free from the chemicals that one might find in other teapots.
Yixing teapots were relatively unknown for many years until the late Ming Dynasty (1600s) when their use and production began to flourish. Demand from Europe and throughout China fueled an active industry in which many artists developed their craft to high levels of mastery. The famous Yixing Zisha teapots were made by clay slices, but different shap had different modeling techniques, such as round Dashentong, square Xiangshentong(inlaid cylinder shape of body). Other modeling can hand made, also can use the mould modeling.
Category of Zisha slurry materials
The porous nature and rich of purple clay in Yixing are divided into three categories such as white clay, Jia clay, Nen clay. The raw material of purple clay pottery is the purple silty mud in the Jia clay ledge.
Raw materialsof Yixing Zisha pottery include purple day, green day and red clay, collectively called as purple sand clay. The Jia clay ledge is a large production interlayer. The green clay is intra-mud in the Jia clay ledge, so also be called as "mud in mud". Because the small amounts of green clay, it is misfit for producing large products, a few products made by green clay- Tuanshan(lumpiness) clay is mixed clay by purple clay and green clay, can be used for making large products. Red clay is the bottom of ledges, thus used for making small products and engobe ordinarily.
For thousands of years, the ceramics in Yixing continued and never flopped, the industrious and intelligent people of Yixing potters utilized the local pottery clay sufficiently, and developed to the perfection. During the Republic of China Period,Yixing ceramics divided the lottery into six categories due to the characteristic of Yixing pottery day such as bluish, yellow, Xi(stream), sand, crude, black. The bluish was on the top position.
The purple clay, green clay and red clay all have its intrinsic chemical compound, mineral constituent and process feature. When a raw material recovered from the ledges, common named as "raw mud" similar to the argillaceous rock, needed to pile up, weather exposure, after it loose, crash it with grinder; in the cottage craft studios, use the millstone mill crash the efflorescent granular size purple sand into fine powder, then sieve and classify it, add water coordinating the raw mud, then beat by wooden club for making the ripe clay. Or else, put the raw mud into the vacuum deairing machine and make out the ripe clay which can be use.
In recent years, people proportioned different clay materials for riching the surface of color of purple clay teapots and fit for the requirements of craft variety and creation, some of them put metallic oxide colorant into mud materials, to make the finished products get rich color. If we added the crude sand, metal sand, the stains will recover after finished, the changes will show out much more.
Main tools in making purple clay teapots
Yixing Ziasha teapots are famous for special slices moulding method. The base modeling of Zisha teapots is an important link in making purple clay teapots, the quality of pot arts relative to the raw materials and firing process, but in largely, it depends on the modeling method of the pot, and the various molding can not do without tools of making pot.
Therefore, for the potters, not only have the skills of different kinds of modeling, but also be familiar with kinds of tools, sometimes they should do and process a few tools, all of these can make them to show their designs and purposes out completely.
Our ancestors ever said, "if you want to do something, do ready first." What we point is the authoring tools. A success art of teapot need lots of instruments to provide assistant moulding, dozens of tools at least hundreds of at most.
The modeling tools have a great variety, they pay particukar attention to the practicalness, as well as the quality of textures and artistics. After the generations researches on tools, it formed a system, ft reached hundreds of categories on quantity, the texture contains metal, wood, bamboo, oxhorn, leather, plastic, plaster, resin and so many materials. Now let me introduce some common tools.
Lug, the major instrument in moulding, use for beat the clay slices. The texture includes Ju(elm) wood, ebony wood, jujube wood,etc.
Sharp minted knife, with lots of categories such as metal sharp knife, bamboo sharp knife, curl sharp knife, etc, it is a common instrument for cutting the mouth, handle, roundish feet, small flat sides,etc.
Rhodeus knife, the most widely used tool in moulding, in the makeing process, use knife to carve, cut, scrape, poke, pick, dig, shave, press,etc, it should be used for many times from start to end. The texture is metal.
Wooden bat, mainly used in beating cylinder body, pat the slices and mouths, as well as arrange the cylinder body. The best material is red wood, Ju(elm) wood, ebony wood, jujube wood also could be use. It requires symmetric on both sides, the sides pat are flat and neat, face of bat is Hun, handle is thick, with natural change, the rim of handle is half-round. They have many sizes, but they all are same length with the contractible sizes base on the big bats.
Gui Che(cutting measure), used specifically to cut slices and mouths. Kinds of sizes, the textures mostly are bamboo, wood. The nails are metal.
String tools, used for buffing of kinds of decorative lines. The texture includes oxhorn, metal, bamboo, wood, plastic,etc. Because the different shapes and parts of strings, every string needs a corresponding tool.
Mingzhen(shming needle), used for the further processing after the surface of moulding, with lots of categories and sizes.texture is oxhoni. Clay ruler, used for hold the clay slices and big slices,made by bamboo, became narrow from handle to top gradually, the back should be flat, with a side is mouthed.
Lezhi, a tool used for glazing the connection of neck, bottom and body, material includes oxhorn, bamboo, wood, metal,etc. It can process the shape from different angles and radians.
Bizi, for reshaping. The texture is bamboo slice or wood block, you can make the different radians to sizes of Bizi according to different overall outlines of teapots, to make sure its basic shape as same as the teapots.
Fuzhi, generally made by bamboo or shining needle as thick as 2mm - 3mm, the angles of Fuzhi should be bigger than the practical modeling.
Bamboo pat,sizes includes big, middle, small, there are flat top, knife-top and so on categories. The big and middle sizes of pat used for clapping the body and making square pots, the small is used for scraping the bottom, making mouth and handle,etc.
Dig-knife, used for digging the hole of mouth, made by thin steel wire as thin as 2.5mm, pressed it and add handle on it, different sized should be processed as a certain bending with knife-top.
Bobbin, used for probing the different sized eyelets.
Duge(single), used for making roundish eyelets and mouth. Materials include bamboo, oxhorn, ivory, hard wood,etc. One is a sharp top and a flat top, the other kind is a pointy ends, with a thin top and a thick top.
Water-colour paint brush,a traditional tool which made by cloth. It had been taken place by writing brush right now.
Besides these, such as Nicheng (worktable), Dingzhu(used for making seals), wooden hammer, Oaizuo (used for processing the cover). Every set of cover-making includes variety of sizes, round and square. The wheel( as well as the dynamoelectric wheel used for making case mold), wooden turntable, blow can, turning tool, roundish-mouth steelyard weighty pure cotton cloth, etc.
Molding and making methods of teapots
The molding of purple clay teapots includes round, square, natural, rib pattern, new shape wares. The model change is the most abundant in single vessels. The shape of purple clay teapots are different varieties of kinds of molds, in tradition, it has a wording of "no same square, no similar round". The development of contemporary art of Yixing pots, on the basis of the following in the traditional modelling, there is inheriting, imitation, as well as innovation.
The sphere ware is the earliest for the shape of purple clay teapots in the historical and archeological physical findings. Using the transformation of curved shape, appearance the model changed a lot, compare to the other molding methods, molding by clay slices.
Molding by clay slices flashed on th early-Chengbeixi culture in the Neolithic Age, then had been taken place by throwing molding method. In the early-Neolithic Age what we called molding by clay slices was twisting the clay into mud ball, pressed into the mud pieces, then pinched and patted by hand, to make the mud coherented together.
Molding by clay slices of purple clay teapots is an unique molding method in the history of Yixing teapots, it based on the potters,acknowledges and understandings on Yixing porcelain materails. The round, square, natural, rib pattern, new shape wares all could be made by this method with lots of tools and careful process.
To understand and familiar wii the processing methods of purple clay teapots, is the basic way to judge the quality of purple clay teapots.
1. Processing procedure of round pots
The round shape is common in purple clay teapot, the major styles inclueded the sphere, hemisphere, cylindrical, sphere variation, coordinate the shape, mouth, handle, feet, cover, button and body can make the variation diversified.
Making round teapots, cut the clay slices according to the dimension requirement at first, then process the body, mouth, handle, cover, assemble and install them, open the kettle's spout, put the cover on the mouth. Just as famous potter Mr.Bao Zhenglan set an example.
Step1, patting the clay strips into slice by wood lug.
Step2, using the flat side of lug to pat the clay slice well-proportioned.
Step3, using the wooden-knife scratching and pressing neat and in order.
Step4, using the measure cut the need width with the slices.
Step5,pricessing the muth slice, bottom slice accrding to the need size.
Step6, using the cutting measure cut a piece of slice as same as belly caliber, put it in the middle of wheel machine, waiying for surrounding the clay slices.
Step7, surrounding the clay slices on the cut bottom, and form a cylinder.
Step8, cutting the unnecessary parts off.
Step9, using the writing brush with water to cohere.
Step10, using tools pressed and adjusting the joint, leave a sign on the joint.
Step11, put left hand into the cylinder in 1/2 position, using the wooden-bat patting this part to make it convergent inside until it fit close to the bottom's diameter.
Step12, putting the slurry on the convergent rim of mouth, inlay the measured bottom slice to the mouth, use the wooden bat patting the joint neat and in order, and caulking.
Step13, turnover the body, using the small bamboo bat scraping out the redundant clay.
Step14, using the wooden-bat patting this part to make it convergent inside until it fit close to the pre-measured cutting slice.
Step15, putting the slurry on the convergent rim of oral part, inlay the measured bottom slice to the mouth.
Step16, using the wooden-bat patting the measured body and gauging the shape of shoulder,belly and bottom.
Step17, painting the slurry on the measured cutting slice and affix on the bottom.
Step18, making the bottom slice connected with the roundsih body.
Step19, keep the body flat, painting slurry on the neck, you should cafe the round orifice in the middle of body to align.
Step20, using Fuzhi made a small arc os die connection to fit for its natural look. Then, use Lezhi compress the connection of neck and body.
Step21, using the shining needle and Bizi process the body time and again, to make it bright and clean, neat and in order.
Step22, using the Rhodeus knife seek out the redundant parts of clay slices.
Step23, arranging the rim-slices by line-tools to make them unified.
Step24, using the Rhodeus knife seek out the redundant parts of bottom slice.
Step25, clothing a circle shiny on the bottom using Fuzhi to process the joint formed a small arc, using the shining needle unify the bottom to make it smooth finish and nature.
Making button
The shape of button includes a lot, with different modelling method, mow I introduce a traditional way.
Step1, twisting a strip clay with the soft clay material.
Step2, twisting with wooden bat again to make it round and neat.
Stqp3, to withstand a top of roundish strip, the other top stand up to the pit of the stomach, patting the tap of strip to semicircle in shape.
Step4, taking the bamboo torsion to make the top round and formed a button.
Step5, adjusting the parts with wooden bat.
Step6, cut down the button from the clay strip.
Step7, the processed button.
Making flow-miuth and handle
1. Twist a conical contour strip clay with the soft clay material.
2. Twist with wooden bat again.
3. Insert the metal sharp pointed knife to the center of thick top of the conical contour strip clay, rolling the strip, penetrate the strip willi knife.
4. Making the shape of mouth by the processed strip.
5. Cut out the redundant parts of flow-mouth, hollow the flow-mouth by dig-knife to make sure it well proportioned.
6. Take another piece of soft clay, twist a roundish strip clay with this soft material, then use the wooden bat patting it standardization.
7. Modelling the finished strip into shape of hanldle.
8. Bending it to fit for the body of teapot.
9. Cutting the unnecessary parts off.
Making pot cover
Step1, cutting the slice by Guiche according to the size of the mouth of teapot.
Step2, put the slice on the lug and patting it by hand lightly, make the slice dome-shaped.
Step3, painting the slurry on the rim of mouth.
Step4, covering it on the lug, assemble two slices aligned and leave an even sideline.
Step5, correcting the shape of cover and radian by Bizi, then processing the by shining needle.
Step6, using the wooden bat pat out a strip clay slices 4mm thick, make it sidelong lower extreme
Step7, cutting out a 12mm wide strip from the sidelong part.
Step8, surrounding the strip to cylinder according to the mouth size.
Step9, painting the slimy on the thicker top, coherent it on the seat slice to form the inside mouth of the cover.
Step10, using tools adjusting the inside mouth and make it standard and neat.
Step11, using the Rhodeus knife with curl head to dig the unnecessary parte out.
Step12, putting the shurry on the rim inside of cover,scraping and pressing the slurry and cut the unnecessary parts off.
Step13, put on the finished button in the center of cover.
Set on the flow-mouth and handle
Coherent the finished flow-mouth, handle, body together, the humidity level should be same when assembling these, otherwise, it will easy to go wrong.
Step1, making sure the positions of setting flow-mouth and handle by tools.
Step2, probing several small round orifices on the position of coherenting the flow-mouth by tube.
Step3, painting the slurry on the root part of flow-mouth.
Step4, connecting the slurried flow-mouth with the body of pot on the very position.
Step5, making sure the very position of handle, and setting it on.
Step6, add and press the modest hardness slurry after a little bit dried, managing the joint of handle with body and flow-mouth with body smooth and fruity.
Step7, after set on the handle and flow-mouth and polish the body, it could open the mouth of pot, and cut it with Guiche.
Step8, repairing the inside of pot with wooden bat, scraping the bottom to make it clean and neat.
Step9, repairing the mouth by the Rhodeus knife until it fit for the cover.
Step10, using tools adjusting the inside mouth and make it standard and neat.
Step11, using the Rhodeus knife with curl head to dig the unnecessary parts out.
Step12, putting the slurry on the rim inside of cover,scraping and pressing the slurry and cut the unnecessary parts off.
Step13, put on the finished button in the center of cover.
Steq14, using the handle of Rhodeus knife recondition the inside of cover.
Set on the flow-mouth and handle
Coherent the finished flow-mouth, handle, body together, the humidity level should be same when assembling these, otherwise, it will easy to go wrong.
Step1, making sure the positions of setting flow-mouth and handle by tools.
Step2, probing several small round orifices on the position of coherenting the flow-mouth by tube.
Step3, painting the slurry on the root part of flow-mouth.
Step4, connecting the slurried flow-mouth with the body of pot on the very position.
Step5, making sure the very position of handle, and setting it on.
Step6, add and press the modest hardness slurry after a little bit dried, managing the joint of handle with body and flow-mouth with body smooth and fruity.
Step7, after set on the handle and flow-mouth and polish the body, it could open the mouth of pot, and cut it with Guiche.
Step8, repairing the inside of pot with wooden bat, scraping the bottom to make it clean and neat.
Step9, repairing the mouth by the Rhodeus knife until it fit for the cover.
Step10, put the cover on the mouth, check whether they are anastomoses then processing the body of pot and calendering.
Step11, knocking the seal on the finished body as well as the small seal on the handle.
Step12, turnover the body, putting the seal onto the center of bottom,and knocking it with a small wooden hammer.
Step13, the bottom with a seal.
2. Processing procedure of square pots
The purple clay square teapot, also called as square teapots. Used in the inlay body modeling in the processing. For the standards and convenient in making, lots of potters did the moulding board first, then using the moulding board to cut the clay and these can make the clay uniform and easier to make and control the modelling. The common sgape of square teapots includes foursquare,six-sides, eight-sides, and the square rib pattern wares, etc. Compare to the round teapots, it is more difficult to make square teapots. Just as famous potter Mr.Chen Yiqun set an example.
Inlay cylinder body
Step1, cutting the processed clay materials into pieces of clay strips according to need, using the wooden lug to pat the clay slice well-proportioned.
Step2, cutting the clay slices of body by the moulding board according to the requirement.
Step3, using the moulding board cut out the bottom slices.
Step4, putting the processed slices on the special trayer when processing the six sides.
Step5, pressing out the shape of six sides on the trayer.
Stcp6, painting slurry on the curl clay slices.
Stcp7, pressing out the shape of six sides on the trayer.
Step8, finished six-sides body.
Step9, using the small bamboo bat scraping out the redundant clay of the joints.
Step10, cover the bottom slice, painting slurry on the rim of mouth well-proportioned, inlay the six-sides clay.
Step11, turnover it and painting and inlaying as the same way.
Step12, using the small bamboo bat adjusting the whole body after setting done.
Step13, cutting out the slice for neck by moulding board.
Step14, putting the slurry on the rim of neck part and bonding on the bottom slice, which is in the central position.
Step 15, using Fuzhi made a small arc on the connection to fit for its natural look.
Step16, use Lezhi compress the connection of neck and body clean and smooth, neat and in order after it is dry.
Step17, managing the finished bottom slice and cut the redundant clay off.
Step18, using the Rhodeus knife seek out the redundant parts of bottom slice.
Step19, using the water cleaning rag moisten the six-sides slice.
Step20, clothing a circle slurry on the rim of mouth, bonding the processed slice on the neck slice, arranging the rim-slices by line-tools to make them unified.
Step21, the finished six-sides cylinder body.
Making flow-mouth and handle
The flow-mouth of six-side square teapots is similar to the flow-mouth of round pots, so we use as same processing method as flow-mouth of round pots.
Step1, twisting a conical contour strip clay with the soft clay material.
Stqp2, Insert the metal sharp pointed knife to the center of thick top of the conical contour strip clay, holding the metal knife by hands, penetrate the strip with knife and rolling strip in a same direction. Bend it as the shape of flow-mouth.
Step3, cutting the redundant parts off.
Stcp4, processing the flow-mouth into six-sides which with the shape of cylinder body.
Step5, using the dig-knife to cut out the redundant clay materials in the mouth and fix them up.
Step6, the processed flow-mouth.
Step7, take another piece of soft clay, twist it as a long roundish strip clay,then use the wooden bat patting it into six-sides.
Step8, finished six-sides long strip.
Step9, bending the processed six-sides long strip into t