This tea pet is made after the appearance of Shar Pei. The hair of the puppy is very clearly drawn by the process of “la mao”.

The puppy is sitting, its head is slightly raised upwards, the tongue is extended upwards, and a collar is worn on his neck. In addition, the eyes are decorated with small black beads, making the tea pet more vivid.

Due to the clay’s good breathability and water absorption, extended use will cause the tea pet to become smoother and shinier from absorbed tea liquid over time.

Raise your tea pet

There is an old Chinese saying, that “soft fire makes sweet malt”. This also holds for seasoning tea pets: they can be “raised” by keeping them on your tea try and pouring tea over them, to nourish the pets. Their cute appearance and maturation in color and texture over time often results in them being a permanent part of a gongfu set.

1. Just about any liquid from the session can be used: the water used for originally warming the cups, the liquid from the first rinse of the leaves, or the leftover tea from each steep.

2. Evenly wipe or pour the liquid over the tea pet. Uneven spreading will result in a dappled appearance. Once dry, you can freely touch the pet however you like.

3. Using a brush or cloth, softly wipe the liquid into the surface of the tea pet.

4. If the pet is stained with dirt or anything else, salt can be used to clean it off first.

Origin

Yixing County is known as the Pottery Capital of China for its extensive 6500-year history of the craft. The area boasts abundant resources of argil, tea, bamboo, and charcoal, each of which contributes an important base material for the making of pottery. Yixing Zisha products have earned countless prizes both at home in China as well as abroad, with a few exceptional works presented as national gifts during international diplomacy.