The tea scoop, born to measure tea leaves and display their aroma in a teapot, has been recognized since the Tang Dynasty. Materials include seashells, oysters, copper, iron, and bamboo, with bamboo being the most common. To this day, the efforts and interpretations of metalworkers in crafting tea scoops have elevated the art of teaware to a new level of beauty.
Artist Tsai Yao-An, who has been practicing metalwork for over ten years, is hosting an exquisite and elegant exhibition of his tea scoop metalwork on the 10th floor of Building A, Chung-Yu Department Store in Taichung. The exhibition runs until November 28th. If you have the chance, please be sure to visit and appreciate up close the masterful craftsmanship created with carving knives and hammers. His artistic expression is truly breathtaking, adding cultural beauty and philosophical imagery to teaware and tea drinking beyond their functional use.