Monday, November 14, 2011

Chinoiserie



Many of you know that I LOVE Fitz and Floyd.
Today I want to share one of my favorite Fitz and Floyd tea cups.
The pattern is called Chinoiserie.


Fitz andFloyd Tea Cup


The flowers are from my Beautiful God-Daughter's wedding.
I carried a bouquet of white hydrangea and gardenia. 
The tea is straight from China. A gift from a dear friend.
They are the four favorite teas in China:
Kuan Yin
Puerh
Dragonwell
Chrysanthemum


Fitz and Floyd Chinoiserie Tea Cup


The decoration on the cup changes depending on what side you see.
The designs are truly beautiful on the black background.



Fitz and Floyd Chinoiserie Tea Cup

Kuan Yin tea is also known as TieGuanYin.
It is an oolong tea.
Oolong tea offers tea enthusiasts a wide-ranging choice of styles, aromas and flavors.
Oolong tea is the most intricate and complex tea to manufacture.
In some ways oolong tea is a composite of all tea.



Fitz and Floyd Chinoiserie Tea Cup

There are several legends about TieGuanYin and I'd like to share my favorite.

WIE Legend

Deep in the heart of Fukian's Anxi County, there was a rundown temple which held an iron statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Every day on the walk to his tea fields, a poor farmer named Mr. Wei would pass by and reflect on the temple's worsening condition. "Something has to be done," thought Mr. Wei.

Being poor, he did not have the means to repair the temple. Instead, the farmer brought a broom and some incense from his home. He swept the temple clean and lit the incense as an offering to Guanyin. "It's the least I can do," he thought to himself. Twice a month for many months, he repeated the same tasks.

One night, Guanyin appeared to him in a dream. She told him of a cave behind the temple where treasure awaited. He was to take the treasure and share it with others. In the cave, the farmer found a single tea shoot,. He planted it in his field and nurtured it into a large bush, from which the finest tea was produced. He gave cuttings of this rare plant to all his neighbors and began selling the tea under the name Tiequanyin, Iron Bodhisattva of Compassion. 

Over time, Mr. Wei and all his neighbors prospered; the rundown temple of Guanyin was repaired and became a beacon for the region. Mr. Wei took joy in the daily trip to his tea fields, never failing to stop in appreciation of the beautiful temple.

Thanks to our tea party hostesses.
These are just a few of the tea parties in the Land of Blog.
Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday
Tea Time Tuesday
Teacup Tuesday
Tea Party Tuesday
Tuesday Tea For Two

Wishing YOU well and a wonderful cup of tea! 


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27 comments:

  1. Dorothy BordersNovember 14, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    How lovely. Thanks for sharing with us.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 14, 2011 at 12:06 PM

    I love the drama of the pale sky blue against the black rimmed with gold. Thanks for the history lesson as well. Enjoy your tea. xox Corrine

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  3. Wanda LeeNovember 14, 2011 at 12:30 PM

    Dear Snap,

    Your Chinoiserie, black teacup is lovely. The different motifs from different angles are truly captivating, with the white
    outside of the teacup with it's stark contrast in black and white tones, is fabulous!

    I always enjoy the interesting tea history that you often share very much as well.

    Thanks so much for joining us for Tuesdays teas this week, we always love having you join us!

    Cheers and hugs , Wanda Lee

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  4. Cezar and LéiaNovember 14, 2011 at 12:58 PM

    Beautiful, delicate, really precious!
    Léia and little Luna :)

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  5. Johanna GehrleinNovember 14, 2011 at 4:15 PM

    Hello Snap,
    what a well set post. The tea cup is truly elegant and outstanding and the interesting story is so perfect for this. I enjoyed the wisdom very much.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  6. Maria-Thérèse ~ www.afiori.comNovember 14, 2011 at 4:22 PM

    Fascinating story, beautiful stuff, tricky word and magnificent flowers!

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  7. The Charm of HomeNovember 14, 2011 at 4:35 PM

    What a lovely story! Pretty tea cup too. Thanks for stopping by!
    Sherry

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  8. Barb November 14, 2011 at 5:21 PM

    So regal and pretty....really lovely.

    I love Fitz and Floyd also. Have lots of their pieces.

    Happy Tea Time,
    Barb

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  9. Antiques And TeacupsNovember 14, 2011 at 5:27 PM

    What a very elegant teacup. I hadn't seen the pattern before & I really like it! Thanks for sharing and thanks for your visit.
    Ruth

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  10. BethNovember 14, 2011 at 6:18 PM

    Snap, That is a gorgeous tea cup! I've never seen anything like it. I love your header photo too.
    Hugs, Beth

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  11. Martha's FavoritesNovember 14, 2011 at 6:34 PM

    Hi Snap: Great story and wonderful cup. I love how elegant the cup is. Have a great week. Blessings, Martha

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  12. Sandi@ Rose Chintz CottageNovember 14, 2011 at 8:23 PM

    Snap, your teacup is really lovely! Thanks for sharing this little beauty with us and for the story as well.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  13. BarbNovember 14, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    I bet that bouquet smells lovely, Snap. I like the legend of WIE, too. Last night we watched a PBS program of Bocelli singing - I thought of our trip last year to Houston. (I remember there was a cold "snap.")

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  14. Judith @ Lavender CottageNovember 14, 2011 at 8:52 PM

    The perfect teacup for some tea from China. I have been drinking Puerh of late, new to me and I do like it.
    Thank you for sharing the WIE Legend.
    Happy Tea time Snap.
    Judith

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  15. BECKYNovember 14, 2011 at 9:59 PM

    Hey Snap! Seeing how many days til Thanksgiving and Christmas gave my heart a little bounce! AND, we're having our family Thanksgiving THIS Saturday, so mine is really only 5 days away! Acckk!!
    Your tea cups is lovely and so are the flowers!

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  16. PondsideNovember 14, 2011 at 10:56 PM

    That was a lovely tea lesson! I don't think I've ever seen this F&F pattern before - it's quite beautiful.

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  17. MicupofteaNovember 15, 2011 at 1:43 AM

    What a striking cup! I like the contrast of dark and light. The oolong tea sounds delicious. Fun story. Thanks for sharing a delightful post. :)

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  18. Tea & Chocolate GuyNovember 15, 2011 at 8:39 AM

    This was a great read... I'm venturing into learning as much as I can about tea .. and this was wonderfully inspiring. I love the underlying message of sharing and doing what you can. xo HHL

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  19. TerriNovember 15, 2011 at 9:09 AM

    Oh what a stunning cup! The black and white and gold is gorgeous, and I love the images too. Thanks so much for sharing it and the wonderful story.
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  20. tracyNovember 15, 2011 at 9:13 AM

    Hello Snap
    Thank you so much for your visit.
    What a beauty of a cup, I've never seen the like...
    Grace

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  21. JanetNovember 15, 2011 at 9:25 AM

    Your tea cup is beautiful. Colors on a black background are always so impressive.

    Chrysanthemum tea is one of my favs.

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  22. Cindy AdkinsNovember 15, 2011 at 2:25 PM

    Very lovely Chinoiserie teacup! I enjoyed the fable. Also, the white hydrangeas looks so pretty - they're one of my favorite flowers!
    Thanks for your comment on my Blue Willow!
    Hugs, Cindy

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  23. CindyNovember 15, 2011 at 4:27 PM

    This is a beautiful black teacup. I enjoyed the different motifs in your pictures, the cup holds many different stories, thanks for the explanation.

    Thank you for the lovely story

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  24. Princesa NadieNovember 15, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    A very pretty story and really beautiful cups
    Love

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  25. WildflowerhouseNovember 15, 2011 at 6:42 PM

    I always learn such interesting things when I visit you. Some day I just might pop in for a spot of tea. :-) Sharon

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  26. StephNovember 16, 2011 at 5:38 PM

    Oh wow - that's gorgeous! And thank you for the comment on my blog!

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  27. xinexNovember 17, 2011 at 8:32 AM

    I love your teacup set, so exotic!..Christine

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