The second China (Qingdao) International Tea Fair kicked off on October 30.

The second China (Qingdao) International Tea Fair kicked off on October 30. A variety of exquisite and expensive teas, tea sets, tea furniture and tea-ceremony ceramics were put on display in Qingdao International Convention Center.

Starting from the Song dynasty (907-1279), the emperors would like to bestow tea sets as awards upon others. Accordingly, we can tell tea sets were rare and expensive during this era. In addition, quite a few poems and paintings about tea (sets) were produced by artists of the time. Evidently, the tea sets have become an integral part of the overall tea culture.

In the range of tea sets, the elegant teapots made of purple earth are distinctively unique. The purple-earth teapots (zishahu) in Yixing have a long history, which is considered both a treasure of traditional Chinese culture as it is one of pottery artwork in the world.

This Tea Fair will showcase a variety of boutique purple-earth teapots, with many masters bringing their new masterpieces to the exhibition.

In addition, at this Tea Fair, the prestigious Jingdezhen porcelain and Taiwan black color kiln, and other famous porcelain artifacts, are on display. By then, the "24 Filial Piety Cups," a set of ceramics priced at US$11,000 will make its debut as well.