The Purple Sand Teapot Museum:
The Purple Sand Teapot Museum is not actually a museum. Yes, it does display teapots that come in different designs, sizes and colors, but all these teapots are for sale; even the extremely unique and beautiful ones, if you are willing enough to part with your entire travel budget. Purple sand clay, of which these teapots are made, is originally a dark purplish red color, due to the high amounts of iron oxide. Nevertheless, the purple sand teapot comes in several colors; black, brown, red, purple, yellow, and green. What makes purple sand teapots unique are of course, its material, and its characteristics for brewing tea. First of all, these teapots are able to preserve the rich taste of Chinese tea due to its porous sandy clay, being able to retain the tea full flavor and color overnight. Furthermore, this special teapot does not crack when heated on a fire or when hot boiling water is poured into it. The purple sand teapot is considered long lasting and is advisable to use over a long period of time, for the more fragrant the tea will be in an older pot. This teapot is also suitable for brewing English tea.
Upon entering the museum, an extremely huge teapot dominates the hallway, and is claimed to be the largest teapot in the world, designed by a scholar. The museum guide informed us that touching the middle of the teapot will bring good fortune, touching the handle brings gambling luck and touching the stout is for fertility. The guide also gave us a brief introduction of all the purple sand teapots, showing us the intricate designs and the specialty of each and every teapot, all having specific explanations for its unique designs and styles. It was interesting to know that even different stouts affect the flow of the water that comes out through it! A few teapots were carved by an extremely old master teapot maker, and they were simply exquisite. Others were made by students at the teapot museum that were still learning to master the art. These of course, were not perfect. Prices ranged from RMB100 for the normal ones to RMB500 for the more intricately designed ones. Masterpieces start from approximately RMB1,000 a set!
The teapots were definitely beautiful, no doubt, but for non-Chinese tea drinkers like I, the visit was more for the little information on teapots rather than for the interest on purchasing. In my opinion, only if you are an avid Chinese teapot collector, the Purple Sand Teapot Museum is a must-visit destination.

Relatel information:

1. China Museums
2. Wuxi Tours