The teapot maker's realm
By Wang Jie |
May 15, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FOR a man who confesses the best moments in life are when he takes a leisurely stroll in his garden, Xu Sihai has led an eventful existence.
The former soldier, who owns two museums, has shown a willingness to take risks in life. He left a safe, comfortable job at a state-owned company to learn the art of purple-clay teapot making. He also sold a valuable building in downtown Shanghai to buy land for a garden in the city's suburbs.
Still, Xu is often referred to as "the emperor of the purple-clay teapot" as his collection numbers around 1,000 teapots, which he started collecting when he was in the army. One of his teapots is said to be worth 100 million yuan (US$15.4 million).
The "emperor" now leads a tranquil life in his own kingdom, known as "One Hundred Buddha Garden." The garden covers 2.66 hectares in Jiading District, is filled with old trees, houses a pavilion with a cluster of antique Buddha statues and his two museums.
One museum displays part of his teapot collection. The other is a memorial museum for Wu Juenong, China's so called "Tea Saint." The museum will open at the end of this month.
Sipping a cup of green tea from leaves grown in a tea garden he owns in Yixing, Jiangsu Province, the birth place of purple-clay teapots, Xu claims that "green tea is the best tonic."
"I drink green tea after every meal," the 64-year-old said, smiling. "To tell you the truth, I haven't had any small disease for two decades. Tea soothes both my body and soul. Chinese tea culture is really profound."
Of course, the best way to drink green tea and kungfu tea is to use a purple-clay teapot, which is said to best nurture the trace elements from the tea leaves.
When asked whether the purple-clay teapot he is using is from his collection, he looks surprised. "You are kidding! They are much too dear for daily use," he said.
Xu's interest in purple-clay teapots 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 in order to learn how to make purple-clay teapots.
"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."
He was born in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, but 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 kungfu tea and gradually developed an interest in purple-clay teapots.
"We started this hobby following our group head," he said. "I spent a large sum of my allowance on antique purple-clay teapots and ceramic teapots."
After he was demobilized, Xu returned to Shanghai with a truck full of purple-clay teapots.
Years later he became a talented purple-clay teapot maker known internationally.
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 Xuhui District and opened a private museum to showcase his collection. The museum occupied an area of 300 square meters.
At this point, Xu looked set to lead a comfortable and enviable life in this peaceful quarter of the former French concession. The teapots he made were popular among collectors both in China and overseas, but he wasn't content.
"I felt that the place wasn't big enough to house all my ambition and aggression," he said.
He took a large risk, selling the building in the late 1990s and bought land at a cost of nearly 200 million yuan in Jiading, a very remote suburb at the time with 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," he added. "My son and I designed this 'One Hundred Buddha Garden.' I planted the trees and grass myself."
Xu says he was so obsessed and busy building his garden that he barely had 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.
Although he admits to still owing the bank money, he is proud that he has figured out a way to keep his "kingdom."
"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."
He also continues to make prized purple-clay teapots, including some that became popular souvenirs for World Expo 2010.
"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 believes the greatest pleasure is taking leisurely walks in his garden every morning and at dusk or drinking tea with his friends in the pavilion.
"Believe it or not, I don't ask for much in life," he said. "There is nothing in life that I dare not give up, but tea and tea culture have become a part of me and I hope it can be shared by more people."
The former soldier, who owns two museums, has shown a willingness to take risks in life. He left a safe, comfortable job at a state-owned company to learn the art of purple-clay teapot making. He also sold a valuable building in downtown Shanghai to buy land for a garden in the city's suburbs.
Still, Xu is often referred to as "the emperor of the purple-clay teapot" as his collection numbers around 1,000 teapots, which he started collecting when he was in the army. One of his teapots is said to be worth 100 million yuan (US$15.4 million).
The "emperor" now leads a tranquil life in his own kingdom, known as "One Hundred Buddha Garden." The garden covers 2.66 hectares in Jiading District, is filled with old trees, houses a pavilion with a cluster of antique Buddha statues and his two museums.
One museum displays part of his teapot collection. The other is a memorial museum for Wu Juenong, China's so called "Tea Saint." The museum will open at the end of this month.
Sipping a cup of green tea from leaves grown in a tea garden he owns in Yixing, Jiangsu Province, the birth place of purple-clay teapots, Xu claims that "green tea is the best tonic."
"I drink green tea after every meal," the 64-year-old said, smiling. "To tell you the truth, I haven't had any small disease for two decades. Tea soothes both my body and soul. Chinese tea culture is really profound."
Of course, the best way to drink green tea and kungfu tea is to use a purple-clay teapot, which is said to best nurture the trace elements from the tea leaves.
When asked whether the purple-clay teapot he is using is from his collection, he looks surprised. "You are kidding! They are much too dear for daily use," he said.
Xu's interest in purple-clay teapots 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 in order to learn how to make purple-clay teapots.
"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."
He was born in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province, but 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 kungfu tea and gradually developed an interest in purple-clay teapots.
"We started this hobby following our group head," he said. "I spent a large sum of my allowance on antique purple-clay teapots and ceramic teapots."
After he was demobilized, Xu returned to Shanghai with a truck full of purple-clay teapots.
Years later he became a talented purple-clay teapot maker known internationally.
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 Xuhui District and opened a private museum to showcase his collection. The museum occupied an area of 300 square meters.
At this point, Xu looked set to lead a comfortable and enviable life in this peaceful quarter of the former French concession. The teapots he made were popular among collectors both in China and overseas, but he wasn't content.
"I felt that the place wasn't big enough to house all my ambition and aggression," he said.
He took a large risk, selling the building in the late 1990s and bought land at a cost of nearly 200 million yuan in Jiading, a very remote suburb at the time with 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," he added. "My son and I designed this 'One Hundred Buddha Garden.' I planted the trees and grass myself."
Xu says he was so obsessed and busy building his garden that he barely had 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.
Although he admits to still owing the bank money, he is proud that he has figured out a way to keep his "kingdom."
"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."
He also continues to make prized purple-clay teapots, including some that became popular souvenirs for World Expo 2010.
"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 believes the greatest pleasure is taking leisurely walks in his garden every morning and at dusk or drinking tea with his friends in the pavilion.
"Believe it or not, I don't ask for much in life," he said. "There is nothing in life that I dare not give up, but tea and tea culture have become a part of me and I hope it can be shared by more people."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
