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Teng Ting-Sou – A Teapot Innovator and Artist By Sandra Scott |
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In the early days, traditional Chinese teapot forms dominated tea culture in Taiwan. Even as late as the 1990s, when Taiwan enjoyed a tea-drinking boom, little effort was made to escape from the straitjacket of tradition. Teapots made in the style of Chinese Yi-hsing-ware dominated the market. And then along came Teng Ting-Sou.
Teng says he has loved working with clay since he was a child. “I use the contact between my hands and the clay to turn the thoughts and visions that are swimming around inside my head into concrete, tangible form. Then, through the firing process, all of the memories and emotions can be enshrined in the pieces I make.”
For more information on Taiwan check http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/ and http://rural.swcb.gov.tw/top10 for information on tea producing areas. |
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wide range of implements and vessels designed for use when drinking
tea. Among the variety of utensils, ceramic teapots stand out
because they represent an important branch of ceramic art and
because the quality of the teapot has a major impact on how the tea
tastes when it is brewed.
South of Taipei in Nantou County, John and I
had the pleasure of visiting the workshop of Teng Ting-Sou, a
ceramic artist who literally broke the mold of teapot making. His
innovative teapot began when he was studying traditional ceramic
teapot-making techniques and the lid of a teapot that had taken him
much time and trouble to make fell off and broke. He went on to
explain, “This set me wondering whether it would be possible to
create a teapot whose lid did not fall off.” That led to abandoning
completely traditional teapot making. The rest is history.
Mr. Teng has dedicated many years of his life
to the creation of innovative forms of ceramic teapots. While
demonstrating his Gu-yi teapot, Mr. Teng explained, “I wanted to be
the first teapot maker to break away from the traditional idea that
a teapot must have a spout and handle.” The Gu-yi teapot uses the
power of air pressure. Covering and uncovering the air hole controls
the flow of water from the teapot. To ensure the stability of the
pot, the body of the pot and the base are designed so that they form
a single unit, creating an airtight base.
His stroke of creative genius sparked off a
wave of innovation in Taiwan teapot making circles. Soon, a wide
range of new teapot forms appeared, all of them markedly different
from traditional teapots. Building on the Gu-yi teapot, Mr. Teng
went on to develop more radical innovations in teapot making,
including the "new concept teapot" and "serenity teapot."
Mr. Teng's creativity has taken another turn
with the creation of his "rock teapots," which break away completely
from the typical ceramic teapots. He explains that the rock pots
have "stone as the bones and clay as the flesh." After firing, these
pieces combine rich textures with practical utility and immense
aesthetic beauty. Each piece is unique because the composition of
the stone and the firing process are never exactly the same.
Teng Ting-Sou’s creativity has been honored
with a special exhibition at Taipei’s National Museum of History.
Mr. Teng’s elegant demeanor had us transfixed as he explained and
demonstrated his teapots. His teapots are so incredibly artistic and
beautiful it was hard to imagine anyone actually using them; but of
course, the whole purpose is to use them and he demonstrated how the
material of the teapot enhances the flavor.