Zisha teapot Mig Yuan, handmade by Artist Level 2 CHEN Ya-Ping （L2-2016）Zi Ni

🫖 Teapot Name: Ming Yuan (鸣远)

• Clay: Lao Zi Ni (老紫泥 – Aged Purple Clay)

• Capacity: 330 ml

Artist Introduction

Chen Yaping (陈亚萍) – National Senior Arts and Crafts Artist (Level 2, Awarded 2016)

• Member of the China Arts and Crafts Society

• Member of the Jiangsu Arts and Crafts Association

Born: July 1, 1962

Chen Yaping was born into a prestigious pottery family in Yixing, China’s renowned "Pottery Capital." Her mother, Li Bihua (李碧华) — one of the famed "Seven Elders of Yixing Zisha" — was not only an eminent potter but also Chen Yaping’s direct mentor in Zisha artistry.

From a young age, Chen was deeply immersed in the world of Yixing Zisha, absorbing traditional techniques and aesthetics. In 1979, she formally began her teapot-making journey under the strict and meticulous tutelage of her mother, Master Li Bihua. Over the next twenty-five years, she consistently refined her craft, diligently studying classical forms while learning from renowned senior artists.

Chen Yaping's works are celebrated for their classical elegance, technical excellence, and profound cultural resonance, winning admiration from tea connoisseurs and collectors both in China and abroad. Her creations have been frequently awarded at national and international exhibitions, and are often featured in prestigious publications.

Major Awards and Achievements:

• 2003:

  • "Goldfish Frolic in Water" tea set — Excellence Award, 4th China Arts & Crafts Masterpieces Expo, West Lake Expo

  • "Longevity Celebration Teapot Set" — Published in the National Collection of China’s Arts & Crafts Masters' Works

  • "Longevity Celebration" — Bronze Award, 5th China Arts & Crafts Masterpieces Expo, Shanghai International Arts Festival

• 2004:

  • "Tianzhu" (co-created with her mother Li Bihua) — Gold Award, National Gift Exhibition

  • "Auspicious Dragon Welcoming Wealth" — Gold Award, Beijing International Gifts Exhibition

  • Featured in the Tea Weekly (中华合作时报 茶周刊)

• 2005:

  • "Auspicious Three-Legged Dragon" — Gold Award, 13th Shanghai International Cultural Festival, Wuyishan Da Hong Pao Tea Culture Festival

  • Featured on Beijing TV in a special documentary

• 2006:

  • "Longevity Celebration Teapot Set" — Published by the World Chinese Associations' Federation

• 2008:

  • "Shi Piao Teapot" and "Bee and Chrysanthemum Teapot" — Gold Awards at the Chinese Collectors’ Favorite Craftsmen Competition

• 2009:

  • "Dragon and Phoenix Teapot" and "Bull-Capped Lotus Seed Teapot" — Collected by the China National Art Treasure Museum

• 2010:

  • "Plum Blossom Lift-Handle Teapot" — National Art Treasure Collection

• 2011:

  • Recognized by Jiangsu Market Research Center for quality and integrity

  • Exhibited in Singapore upon invitation by Yue Hwa Chinese Products Emporium

• 2012:

  • "Auspicious Dragon Welcoming Wealth" — Featured in Original Yixing Zisha Works Appreciation

  • "Elegant Charm Teapot" — Gold Award, 14th Masterpieces Expo

  • "Happy Pistachio Teapot" — Silver Award, 14th Masterpieces Expo

• 2014:

  • "General’s Teapot" — Gold Award, 16th Masterpieces Expo

Legacy and Influence:

Through rigorous training by her mother Li Bihua, Chen Yaping not only inherited traditional Yixing craftsmanship but also blended it with her own aesthetic sensitivity and innovative thinking, creating works that bridge tradition and modern taste.

Today, her teapots are widely collected, admired, and studied, securing her reputation as one of the outstanding torchbearers of the Yixing Zisha heritage.