紫砂工艺

    Craftsmanship of Zisha (Purple Clay)

        紫砂壶是中国茶文化的重要组成部分。用宜兴特有的矿泥制作成器物，烧成之后其表面光挺平整之中含有小颗粒状的变化，表现出一种砂质效果，断面就更为明显，故称之为“紫砂”。紫砂陶是在宜兴古老陶器品种制作烧造中发展起来的，它的起源于发展有着深厚的文化背景，与当时的社会经济文化环境息息相关，与中国源远流长的茶文化及饮茶方式的演变紧密相连。紫砂工艺与其他工艺相比，鲜见宗教题材和王权思想，它的造型、装饰完全是艺人的文化艺术水准的个体体现，灵动活泼，生机盎然。紫砂陶造型简练、大方，色泽淳朴、古雅，且具有很高的使用价值，用其泡茶，使用的年代越久，壶身色泽就愈加光润古雅，用它泡出来的茶汤更醇郁。紫砂壶的雕刻装饰艺术集诗词、书画、文学、篆刻、金石艺术于一体，今又创造了题词、题跋，更进一步的把它推向高层次文化层。它独特的材质和人文品质，使得它成为我国姹紫嫣红的工艺美术园地里的一朵奇葩。

 Purple clay pottery is a kind of unique pottery in Yixing China. A specific mineral clay exclusively found in Yixing was first made into objects, then the clay rendered sandy pattern resembling purple granule on its smooth surface after firing, which was why purple clay pottery got its name. Yixing purple clay pottery originated in the firing and manufacturing technique of varieties of ancient potteries in Yixing, closely related to the profound cultural background, socio-economic environment of Yixing and long evolution of tea culture in China. Unlike other crafts, purple clay pottery rarely embodied royal ideology or religious subjects, instead, its style and ornamentation was vivid and vital, fully demonstrating the artistic and cultural level of the ancient handicraftsmen and men of letters. The purple clay pottery, with graceful and concise style as well as quaint and elegant color, has high pragmatic value. If one makes tea with the pottery, the longer era the pottery has been used, the more graceful the color of the pottery would be, and one could smell sweet and fresh fragrance of the tea. The sculpture decorative art on the pottery has embraced poetry, painting, literature, stone carving, and the development of inscriptions has place the purple clay pottery in higher position in cultural circle. Its unique material and cultural quality, enabling it become one of the top arts and crafts in Chinese treasure house.