OFTEN referred to as “the emperor of the purple-clay teapot,” pottery artist Xu Sihai has, indeed, carved out an empire all his own.

These days the 70-year-old master leads a tranquil life in his kingdom, known as One Hundred Buddha Garden, since it features more than 100 stone statues of Buddha, all with different postures, styles, sizes and expressions. Some date back as far as the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316 AD).

Covering 2.66 hectares in Jiading District, Shanghai, the garden was built by Xu and his team over 13 years, at a price of over 250 million yuan (US$38.4 million).

Like any good Chinese classical garden, it features the four elements prized by the country’s ancient literati class — water, rocks, plants and man-made structures — which together create a peaceful environment for relaxation, contemplation or study.

Placid waters meander past luxuriant pines, cypresses, plum trees and bamboo; while craggy stone sculptures meant to represent China’s famed mountains counterbalance the garden’s more delicate features.

In the eyes of Xu, this is an ancient scholar’s refuge brought to life in the modern world. But amid all the tradition, there’s also room in the garden for the artist’s love of Chinese tea culture.

In the north of the garden is a memorial hall for Wu Juenong (1897-1989), a modern tea expert. The hall contains more than 200 photos, manuals, recipes and books of Wu’s all from the field of tea research. The materials were collected by Xu over the past decade.

Also in the garden is a museum displaying part of Xu’s teapot collection. The man has nearly 1,000 teapots dating from pre-history to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). One of his teapots is said to be worth 100 million yuan.

Sipping a cup of green tea from leaves grown at a plantation he owns in Yixing, Jiangxi Province, the birth place of purple-clay teapots, Xu claims that: “green tea is the best tonic. I drink green tea after every meal. I haven’t had any minor illness for two decades. Tea soothes both the body and soul. Chinese tea culture is really profound.”

Xu is one of the most successful sculptors working in China today. Yet, while his teapots fetch astronomical sums from celebrities and political leaders, the artist came across as unassuming and down-to-earth during his meeting with Shanghai Daily.

“Material life, in my eyes, is just dust,” he said, mentioning his simple attire and aversion to the trappings of earthly success.

Battlefield to art stardom

But when asked whether the purple-clay teapot he served from during our interview was of his own making, he looks shocked. “You’re kidding! They are much too dear for daily use,” he said.

Born in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, Xu moved to Shanghai with his mother when he was 10 years old.

At the age of 23, he joined the army. He was sent to Vietnam as a scout in the late 1960s.

“I was so fortunate that I didn’t die on the battlefield,” Xu said. “But because of the war, I had a thorough understanding of life at a fairly young age. Life is too short, and it is always filled with pain and difficulties. Just let it be.”

While in the army, Xu started drinking tea and gradually developed an interest in purple-clay teapots. His interest deepened in the 1980s, a time when their value had not been fully recognized by many Chinese. Around that time, Xu quit his comfortable job in logistics at a state-owned company and moved to Yixing to learn how to make these pots.

“Sounds incredible? My family was strongly against my decision, especially my wife,” he said. “But I didn’t give up. I felt my destiny calling me.”

After he was demobilized, Xu returned to Shanghai with a truck full of purple-clay teapots.

Years later, his talents as a teapot maker were recognized, both within China and abroad. With time, his pots were seen by many collectors as works of art in their own right.

In 1985, his teapot titled “Summer” was awarded the golden prize in a national competition. The teapot was later purchased by the Asian Art Museum in the United States.

In 1989, Xu was invited to Singapore for his first solo-exhibition.

Two years later, Xu bought a building on Xingguo Road in downtown Shanghai and opened a 300-square-meter private museum to showcase his collection.

At this point, Xu looked set to lead a comfortable and enviable life in this peaceful quarter of the former French concession. His teapots were selling well, but he wasn’t content.

“I felt that the place wasn’t big enough to house all my ambition,” he said.

He took a large risk, selling the building in the late 1990s and bought land for 200 million yuan in Jiading, a very remote suburb at the time thanks to the poor infrastructure.

“Many of my friends were unable to understand my decision,” he said, smiling. “But I knew what I was doing. Can you believe it? I borrowed nearly 40 million yuan from the bank. My son and I designed this One Hundred Buddha Garden. I planted the trees and grass myself.”

Time for change

Xu says he was so obsessed and busy building his garden that he barely had any time to make purple-clay teapots, his major source of income.

“I was penniless at that moment and I owed the bank a lot of money,” he said. “Some of my friends thought I was a lunatic for abandoning such a quality life.”

Yet Xu succeeded.

“I haven’t sold a single piece of my collection to pay the bank,” he said. “I have a big tea garden in Yixing, which can partly support my operating costs.”

Eventually, he returned to making his prized purple-clay teapots.

“Every year, I make around 30 teapots,” he said. “There is huge market potential in purple-clay teapots as more Chinese realize the good part of drinking green tea.”

Xu says his greatest pleasure is taking leisurely walks in his garden, or drinking tea with his friends in the pavilion.

“I don’t ask for much in life,” he said. “But tea and tea culture have become a part of me and I hope to share it with more people.”

Even at 70, Xu is still looking for new ways to spread the joys and benefits of tea.

Last week, the master announced to the public that he is retiring and will no longer make his purple-clay teapots.

“It’s enough for me, and I wanted to give some opportunities for my students,” he explained. “Also I have some other important things to do.

“I have studied tea for a long time, and I am now cooperating with a medical center for a new cure of rhinitis,” he said. “A person’s life is rather short, and I need to save every minute to do some meaningful things. Perhaps that’s the knowledge I obtained from the battlefield.”

One Hundred Buddha Garden

Address: 1978 Cao’an Highway

Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30am-3:30pm

Admission: 10 yuan

Tel: 5918-5220, 5919-0517, for appointment