Volcanic Tea TrayGlinting quietly on the tea table, this ceramic block gashed by jagged openings resembles rock melting around a vent or hewn from veins of precious ore. The pitted, grey surface has been filled above with pockets of lustrous glaze and sunk at its center to make a place for a teapot or gaiwan, and any drips or discards will gravitate through the openings into the hollow interior. A discreet hole in the side allows emptying when full (and possibly even

Like the best pieces of teaware

harmonious or even the Chinese word nei lian

Their value raises with time

toasty notes at first

in the form of a folded petal

a short spout directing tea cleanly into the waiting cups

A perfect marriage of Chaozhou and Yixing could well be this: A classic Shui Ping ('balanced water') form pulled on the wheel from original clay of Huanglongshan

the color and outline of dry leaves is appreciable

This remains the case today and was even more so decades ago

This is a responsive tea for those who like to experiment

Ryan’s team has expanded

this tea captures the refined essence of yellow teas and is a rewarding choice for anyone seeking one of if not their most elegant expression