Question about teapot pic online

[Rebekah]

Greetings, All,

If anyone had the time or inclination to look at

http://www.yunnansourcing.com/store/pro ... oduct=1070

and say anything about 1) what the calligraphy on the side says, and/or 2) the tradition and meaning of the sang bian shape, I would be most obliged....

[Victoria]

Pardon me - but I suggested she post the link, I wasn't thinking about the Newbie no link rule, sorry!

But I checked it and it's legit. She has the same pot as me and
is asking for help identifying.

Thanks in advance!

[nonc_ron]

I can't read it but i can post the link.
http://www.yunnansourcing.com/store/pro ... oduct=1070
Or better yet.

[IPT]

This one is really hard to explain. The Chinese characters are:

身无半亩， 心忧天下 ，读破万卷 ，神交古人

I’ll try to translate it the best I can and then explain it.

Translation:
Having no land (poor), but concerned about the country and the people’s destiny, (I) read a huge amount of books and took solace in the study of ancient men.

Explanation:
It was written by a poet during a very turbulent time in China history. The man was poor and read a lot of books about the past and great ancient men. He admired the men greatly and found a sort of connection to them.


The poem is sometimes used as a couple on either side of doorways during Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).

[Victoria]

Thanks IPT. Wonder why it's called "Mulberry tree teapot"?

[Rebekah]

IPT, You made my DAY! Thank you so much. I had copied out the characters the best I could but see that I needed help with those as well. It is good to know also about the Spring Festival tradition.

This pot was my first lesson in buying a pot long distance; in person, it's heavier, more rustic, and less balanced than I had expected, and it leaks a ritual 3 drops *from the spout* every time it pours. But, the color, the calligraphy, and the bamboo (?) etching were irresistible. Also, it does things for Jing Tea Shop's Everyday Da Hong Pao that no other of my humble pots can do. Victoria, thanks for your suggestion; it worked!

"But I will look for a further reward of my labours in being able to close my eyes to the evils which our generation has witnessed for so many years, at least while I am giving all my attention to retracing those earliest records, free from the anxiety which can disturb the historian writing about his own times...." -- Livy, Roman historian

Thanks again!

[IPT]

Thanks IPT. Wonder why it's called "Mulberry tree teapot"?

I believe that it is a mistranslation.

My translation for 磉扁壶 is stone plinth (pedestal) teapot. It is shaped like the bases for pillars in traditional Chinese architecture.

The character for mulberry is 桑. Which is similar to the character 磉 which means stone plinth and it sounds the same, but it does not have the same meaning.

I know, Chinese is confusing.

[Rebekah]

Ah, wonderful. With the term "mulberry tree" the pot was oddly heavy. With "stone pedestal," the shape and proportions make perfect sense, even the spout and handle.

I'm pushing my luck here, but 1) do we know the name of the poet? 2) is the calligraphy in Old Chinese, or highly stylized? I am not matching up the characters very well, here. 3) What do the syllables "sang bian" mean?

With thanks again!

[IPT]

Ah, wonderful. With the term "mulberry tree" the pot was oddly heavy. With "stone pedestal," the shape and proportions make perfect sense, even the spout and handle.

I'm pushing my luck here, but 1) do we know the name of the poet? 2) is the calligraphy in Old Chinese, or highly stylized? I am not matching up the characters very well, here. 3) What do the syllables "sang bian" mean?

With thanks again!

1) No. We do not know the name of the poet, but we will try to find out the name for you.

2) The poem is in the style of a quatrain which means four sets of four characters. It is in the traditional style. The traditional Chinese characters are: 身無半畝， 心憂天下，讀破萬卷，神交古人
They are read top to bottom, right to left.
Like this:
古神萬讀天心半身
人交卷破下憂畝無

3) The three characters "Sang Bian Hu 磉扁壶" translate literally as "Stone Plinth, Flat, Pot".

[Rebekah]

I am so happy to learn something about this poem, especially after months of admiring its looks. Please don't go to any further trouble about the author unless it's a pleasure to hunt. I teach classical languages or else wouldn't be so obsessive about letters
Will go study these -- and am enjoying your website, meanwhile! Xie, xie.

[iannon]

I am so happy to learn something about this poem, especially after months of admiring its looks. Please don't go to any further trouble about the author unless it's a pleasure to hunt. I teach classical languages or else wouldn't be so obsessive about letters
Will go study these -- and am enjoying your website, meanwhile! Xie, xie.

I know what you mean kinda! i see all these pots online with the writting on them and 99% of them dont say what it means..i always wonder lol

[IPT]

I am so happy to learn something about this poem, especially after months of admiring its looks. Please don't go to any further trouble about the author unless it's a pleasure to hunt. I teach classical languages or else wouldn't be so obsessive about letters
Will go study these -- and am enjoying your website, meanwhile! Xie, xie.

I know what you mean kinda! i see all these pots online with the writting on them and 99% of them dont say what it means..i always wonder lol

I'm happy to help. I will still look into the author for you. I like learning new things.

[Rebekah]

iannon, yes. I don't know Chinese, just play with some characters. Still, I once read the side of a teapot that said "Tea has good benefit" -- a thrilling moment, and once in a lifetime. If we ever get to nominate the world's most beautiful writing system, I hope it's Chinese. I love this way the lines on this particular pot are arranged so gracefully in relation to the whole shape.