茶宠
貔貅
一尊以光泽温润的朱泥红土雕塑的蹲伏貔貅，镇守茶盘，随每一次浇淋而色泽渐深。
$95USD · 130 g
深秋时节，Michael Zhan 从他惯常的云南与福建采购之行途中岔开，向东前往宜兴。此行并非为了茶壶，而是为了茶宠——这些在功夫茶盘上伴茶而居的小型泥塑伙伴。在丁蜀镇外围的一处家族作坊里，他觅得一位只使用小煤窑矿区朱泥原矿的师傅。这种泥料素以难以塑形著称；高含铁量使其在烧制时收缩不均，每窑能完好出窑的成品寥寥无几。
Michael 花了半个下午，看着陶匠的拇指将貔貅的形貌一一捏压而出——每一尊都是手工雕塑的孤品，绝非模具压制。他之所以选中这尊貔貅，在于牠脊背那道绷紧的曲线，以及头部警醒昂扬的神态，仿佛随时要跃入下一场茶席。底部在最终入窑前压上了师傅的款识，这是这个家族传承三代的习惯。
朱泥红能养出特别鲜活的包浆。与孔隙较多的紫泥不同，朱泥吃色缓慢，考验的是耐心。Michael 从那批作品里带回了八尊貔貅——每一尊都有编号、留下影像，并被收进亚麻布袋中，静待登上某方茶盘。他说，购入茶宠最好的时机，就是在它尚未沾染任何故事之前；你为它浇下的第一道茶汤，将成为一段长达数十年对话的起点。
The leaf, brewed
dry leaf
Dry appearance: a rich, even vermilion with a fine-grained texture; the pixiu sits in a protective crouch, mane detail sharply defined.
wet leaf
After first pour: the clay deepens momentarily, tiny iron speckles emerging through the red; a faint scent of damp earth rises.
liquor
As tea coats the surface, a glossy film forms, accumulating over sessions to build a mirror-like patina that shifts from bright red to warm mahogany.
aroma
Absorbs the fragrance of the tea it is fed — early on, roasted notes of yancha cling; over years, a subtle blend of aged sheng and honeyed oolong.
taste
The pet tastes nothing, but the layers of tea tell the story of countless infusions; each pour leaves a silent record of shared ceremony.
finish
With a decade of feeding, the pixiu will wear a deep, luminous patina — an heirloom-depth shine that honours the companionable art of gongfu.
Brewing
茶事结束后，以温水冲洗，再用柔软棉布拍干。切勿使用肥皂或清洁剂，以免破坏日渐养成的包浆。存放于茶盘上或通风处即可。
Sourced by
采购与选品专员（中国）