Yixing Clay Lucky Pig Tea Figurine

The Yixing Clay Lucky Pig Tea Figurine is a beautiful Yixing clay figurine used in the traditional tea ceremony.

The figurines in the Chinese tea ceremony

If you happened to see the Gunfu Cha tea ceremony in China, you probably noticed that almost every tea tray (Cheban) has a clay figurine-“茶 宠” (tea animal). It is a small work of art made of Yixing clay, which is constantly bathed during the tea ceremony as an omen of good luck and fortune.
In China, tea figurines are revered on par with pets, even though they are basically small objects made to decorate the tea tray. In some Chinese families, the dragon figurine may signify the energy of heaven and symbolize a connection with the god Tao, and in another family a talisman given by a deceased grandfather, reminding him and imparting his wisdom to the family. Tea figurines are thus always present and have definite meanings.

“Feed” (bathe) your tea pet

You can wet your tea figurine with the hot water you used to warm the tea utensils before drinking it or you can use the water you washed the tea leaves with at the beginning of the ceremony. Over time, the figurine will absorb the aroma and smell of the tea, and you will notice a color difference in the clay. Tea animals are many and different, plus they can be small, medium or very large. They tend to be very simple, but with a sophisticated design. They can be animals, people, beetles, or even mythical creatures.

Using Chinese tea figurines in meditation

Some scientists have proven that by focusing attention on one object and relaxing, the human brain begins to work at a different frequency, similar in vibration to the frequency of the brains of monks and saints. In such a state of consciousness, a person starts from a stereotyped thought and has the opportunity to tune in to the waves needed to get an answer to a long-standing question of interest. It is this effect that is called “help from above” or “advice from the ancestors.” While drinking tea, it is easier to reach this state, because the tea relieves nervous and physical tensions, and the tea figurines help to set and focus attention.