Art master Bao Yumei works on a purple clay teapot. [Photo provided to Chinaculture.org]

The Yixing zisha, or the purple clay teapot, originated during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), is world-famous for its long history and superb artistic achievements.

Yixing city in East China's Jiangsu province, known as a "pottery capital", is rich in purple sand, which has good water absorption and air permeability when fired into utensils.

Craftsmen in Yixing continue to combine Chinese tea culture with court culture and folk art, to make their pots more delightful and functional.