Phoenix and Dragon Yixing Teapot Set

In the Song dynasty Yixing zisha (purple clay) teapots were very simple, not at all ornate. As the centuries progressed they became more and more elaborate, decorative and elegant. As a matter of fact, the Forbidden City did not accept the Zisha teapot into its collection until the early Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911 A.D.) By that time the Zisha teapot had been elevated to an artistic form, and potters and scholars worked together to make beautiful, ornate  pot styles. The Phoenix and Dragon motif of this set is a perfect example of this. This motif originated in China as yet another representation of the Yin and Yang, the concept of relative but complimentary opposites.  The Dragon is a symbol of creativity, good fortune, and masculinity. The Phoenix is a symbol of beauty, good luck, and femininity. In fact,in ancient China, the Dragon and Phoenix represented the Emperor and Empress, respectively. This beautiful handmade Yixing teapot set is comprised of the teapot, two cups and a stainle