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Yixing Clay Teapot
Yixing clay teapots (), also called Zisha teapot (), are made from Yixing clay. This traditional style commonly used to brew tea originated in China, dating back to the 15th century, and are made from clay produced near Yixing in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. History Archaeological excavations reveal that as early as the Song dynasty (10th century) potters near Yixing were using local "zisha" (紫砂 or 紫泥 ; literally, "purple sand/clay") to make utensils that may have functioned as teapots. According to the Ming dynasty author Zhou Gaoqi, during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor, a monk from Jinsha Temple (Golden Sand Temple) in Yixing handcrafted a fine quality teapot from local clay. Such teapots soon became popular with the scholarly class, and the fame of Yixing teapots began to spread. 20th century Yíxīng teapots are actually made in nearby Dīngshān, also known as Dingshu, on the west side of Lake Tai. Hundreds of teapot shops line the edges of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Teapot (Yixing Ware, About 1900)
A teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves or a herbal mix in boiling or near-boiling water, and for serving the resulting infusion which is called tea. It is one of the core components of teaware. Dry tea is available either in tea bags or as loose tea, in which case a tea infuser or tea strainer may be of some assistance, either to hold the leaves as they steep or to catch the leaves inside the teapot when the tea is poured. Teapots usually have an opening with a lid at their top, where the dry tea and hot water are added, a handle for holding by hand and a spout through which the tea is served. Some teapots have a strainer built-in on the inner edge of the spout. A small air hole in the lid is often created to stop the spout from dripping and splashing when tea is poured. In modern times, a thermally insulating cover called a tea cosy may be used to enhance the steeping process or to prevent the contents of the teapot from cooling too rapidly. History China The swi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flower Vase
A vase ( or ) is an open container. It can be made from a number of materials, such as ceramics, glass, non-rusting metals, such as aluminium, brass, bronze, or stainless steel. Even wood has been used to make vases, either by using tree species that naturally resist rot, such as teak, or by applying a protective coating to conventional wood or plastic. Vases are often decorated, and they are often used to hold cut flowers. Vases come in different sizes to support whatever flower it is holding or keeping in place. Vases generally share a similar shape. The foot or the base may be bulbous, flat, carinate, or another shape. The body forms the main portion of the piece. Some vases have a shoulder, where the body curves inward, a neck, which gives height, and a lip, where the vase flares back out at the top. Some vases are also given handles. Various styles and types of vases have been developed around the world in different time periods, such as Chinese ceramics and Native Americ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sina Corp
Sina Corporation (, "new wave") is a Chinese technology company. Sina operates four major business lines: Sina Weibo, Sina Mobile, Sina Online, and Sinanet. Sina has over 100 million registered users worldwide. Sina was recognized by '' Southern Weekend'' as the "China's Media of the Year" in 2003. Sina owns Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like microblog social network, which has 56.5 percent of the Chinese microblogging market based on active users and 86.6 percent based on browsing time over Chinese competitors such as Tencent and Baidu. The social networking service has more than 500 million users and millions of posts per day, making it the largest Chinese-language mobile portal. The company was founded in Beijing in 1998, and its global financial headquarters have been based in Shanghai since October 1, 2001. Sina App Engine (SAE) is the earliest and largest PaaS platform for cloud computing in China. It is run by SAE Department, which was founded in 2009. SAE is dedicated in p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Renminbi
The renminbi (; symbol: ¥; ISO code: CNY; abbreviation: RMB) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China and one of the world's most traded currencies, ranking as the fifth most traded currency in the world as of April 2022. The yuan ( or ) is the basic unit of the renminbi, but the word is also used to refer to the Chinese currency generally, especially in international contexts. One yuan is divided into 10 jiao (), and the jiao is further subdivided into 10 fen (). The renminbi is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of China. Valuation Until 2005, the value of the renminbi was pegged to the US dollar. As China pursued its transition from central planning to a market economy and increased its participation in foreign trade, the renminbi was devalued to increase the competitiveness of Chinese industry. It has previously been claimed that the renminbi's official exchange rate was undervalued by as much as 37.5% against its ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drink Coaster
A coaster, drink coaster, beverage coaster, or beermat is an item used to rest drinks upon. Coasters protect the surface of a table or any other surface where the user might place a glass. Coasters on top of a beverage can also be used to show that a drink is not finished or to prevent contamination (usually from insects). Coasters can also stop hot drinks from burning the table surface. Pubs usually will have beermats spread out across their surfaces. They are used not just to protect the table's surface but, as they are typically made of paper, they can also absorb condensation dripping along the glass or serve as an ad-hoc notebook. Beermats are often branded with trademarks or alcohol advertising. Beermats are not to be confused with bar mats, rectangular pieces of rubber, or absorbent material used to protect the countertop and limit the spread of spilled drinks in a bar or pub. History The first coasters were designed for decanters or wine bottles so that they could be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gongfu Tea Ceremony
The gongfu tea ceremony or kung fu tea ceremony ( or ), is a type of Chinese tea ceremony, involving the ritual preparation and presentation of tea. It is probably based on the tea preparation approaches originated in Fujian and the Chaoshan area of eastern Guangdong. The term literally means "making tea with skill". The approach often involves using smaller brewing vessels and a higher leaf-to-water ratio than in western-style brewing. Today, the approach is used popularly by teashops carrying tea of Chinese origins, and by tea connoisseurs as a way to maximize the taste of a tea selection, especially a finer one. History Attention to tea-making quality has been a classic Chinese tradition. All teas, loose tea, coarse tea, and powdered tea have long coexisted with the "imperially appointed compressed form". By the end of the 14th century, the more naturalistic "loose leaf" form had become a popular household product and by the Ming era, loose tea was put to imperial use. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White Tea
White tea may refer to one of several styles of tea which generally feature young or minimally processed leaves of the ''Camellia sinensis'' plant. Currently there is no generally accepted definition of white tea and very little international agreement; some sources use the term to refer to tea that is merely dried with no additional processing, some to tea made from the buds and immature tea leaves picked shortly before the buds have fully opened and allowed to wither and dry in natural sun, while others include tea buds and very young leaves which have been steamed or fired before drying. Most definitions agree, however, that white tea is not rolled or oxidized, resulting in a flavor characterized as "lighter" than most green or traditional black teas. In spite of its name, sweet, brewed white tea is pale yellow. Its name derives from the fine silvery-white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant, which give the plant a whitish appearance. The unopened buds are used fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Green Tea
Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since then its production and manufacture has spread to other countries in East Asia. Several varieties of green tea exist, which differ substantially based on the variety of ''C. sinensis'' used, growing conditions, horticultural methods, production processing, and time of harvest. The two main components unique to green tea are " catechins" and " theanine," and the health effects of these components are attracting a great deal of attention in Japan and abroad. History Tea consumption has its legendary origins in China during the reign of mythological Emperor Shennong. A book written by Lu Yu in 618–907 AD (Tang dynasty), ''The Classic of Tea'' (), is considered important in green tea history. The ''Kissa Yōjōki'' (喫茶養生記 '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oolong
Oolong (, ; (''wūlóngchá'', "dark dragon" tea)) is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea (''Camellia sinensis)'' produced through a process including withering the plant under strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting.Zhongguo Chajing pp. 222–234, 271–282, 419–412, chief editor: Chen Zhongmao, publisher: Shanghai Wenhua Chubanshe (Shanghai Cultural Publishers) 1991. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties. The degree of oxidation, which varies according to the chosen duration of time before firing, can range from 8 to 85%, depending on the variety and production style. Oolong is especially popular in south China and among ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia as is the Fujian preparation process known as the Gongfu tea ceremony. Different styles of oolong tea can vary widely in flavor. They can be sweet and fruity with honey aromas, or woody and thick with roaste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Tea
Black tea, also translated to red tea in various East Asian languages, is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, yellow, white and green teas. Black tea is generally stronger in flavour than other teas. All five types are made from leaves of the shrub (or small tree) ''Camellia sinensis,'' though '' Camellia taliensis'' is also used rarely. Two principal varieties of the species are used – the small-leaved Chinese variety plant (''C. sinensis'' var. ''sinensis''), used for most other types of teas, and the large-leaved Assamese plant (''C. sinensis'' var. ''assamica''), which was traditionally mainly used for black tea, although in recent years some green and white teas have been produced. First originating in China, the beverage's name there is ''hong cha'' (, "red tea") due to the color of the oxidized leaves when processed appropriately. Today, the drink is widespread throughout East and Southeast Asia, both in consumption and harvesting, including in China, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pu-erh Tea
''Pu'er'' or ''pu-erh'' is a variety of fermented tea traditionally produced in Yunnan Province, China. In the context of traditional Chinese tea production terminology, fermentation refers to microbial fermentation (called 'wet piling'), and is typically applied after the tea leaves have been sufficiently dried and rolled. As the tea undergoes controlled microbial fermentation, it also continues to oxidize, which is also controlled, until the desired flavors are reached. This process produces tea known as 黑茶 ''hēichá'' (lit. 'black tea') (which is different from the English-language ''black tea'' that is called 红茶 ''hóngchá'' (lit. 'red tea') in Chinese). Pu'er falls under a larger category of fermented teas commonly translated as ''dark teas''. Two main styles of pu'er production exist: a traditional, longer production process known as ''shēng'' (''raw'') pu'er; and a modern, accelerated production process known as ''shóu'' (''ripe'') pu'er. Pu'er traditionall ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tea Pots
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and northern Myanmar. Tea is also rarely made from the leaves of ''Camellia taliensis''. After plain water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world. There are many different types of tea; some have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavour, while others have vastly different profiles that include sweet, nutty, floral, or grassy notes. Tea has a stimulating effect in humans primarily due to its caffeine content. An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the third century AD, in a medical text written by Chinese physician Hua Tuo. It was popularised as a recreational drink during the Chinese Tang dynasty, and tea drinking subsequently spread to other East Asian countries. Portuguese priests and merchants introduced it to E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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