为什么紫砂壶这么贵 | 为什么这么贵：英语精读讲义

Zisha teapots are made by artisans like Boqin Tang.

紫砂壶由唐伯琴这样的匠人制作。

She had to study for 25 years to be considered a senior teapot maker,

她苦学了25年，才获评高级工艺美术师，

which lets her sell a teapot like this for $20,000 to $30,000. 語法

这让她制作的这种壶能卖到2万至3万美元。

Anyway,

总之，

you have to just go through the process like this. 短語動詞

你就是得这样一步一步走过来。

You have to show me your skills.

你得让我看到你的本事。

You have to work hard to do this.

你得下苦功夫才能做到。

It's true, right?

确实是这样，对吧？

Yeah.

对。

But before Tang ever touches the clay,

但在唐伯琴着手处理泥料之前，

the process starts with a unique raw material that's disappearing.

整个过程要从一种日渐稀缺的独特原料开始。

So what does it take to make a Zisha teapot? 語法

那么，制作一把紫砂壶究竟要经历什么？

And why are they so expensive?

它们又为什么这么贵？

Zisha teapots were one of the first teapots ever made, 語法

紫砂壶是世界上最早出现的茶壶之一，

dating back to 10th-century China. 短語動詞

其历史可追溯至10世纪的中国。

They're named after the rare clay that is made from 短語動詞

它们因一种稀有黏土而得名，这种黏土由

350-million-year-old Zisha ore.

形成于3.5亿年前的紫砂矿石制成。

The ore can only be found in Dingshuzhen, 語法

这种矿石只能在丁蜀镇找到，

primarily in Huanglong Mountain.

主要产自黄龙山。

It's near the city of Yixing,

这里靠近宜兴市，

which is known as China's ceramics capital. 用詞

宜兴素有“中国陶都”之称。

Zisha teapot experts have been using the same process for over 600 years. 語法

600多年来，紫砂壶艺人一直沿用同一种制作工艺。

The ore is powdered, 語法

先把矿石研磨成粉，

then folded,

然后反复折叠揉压，

and worked in a way to create small pockets that promote airflow

再通过特殊处理形成能促进空气流动的微小孔隙，

in two directions throughout the pot.

让空气在整个壶体内双向流动。

This is known as dual porosity. 用詞

这就是所谓的“双气孔结构”。

And Zisha teapot makers and customers say this oxygen flow can intensify the flavor of tea, 短語搭配

紫砂壶制作者和顾客都说，这种氧气流动能让茶味更加浓郁，

just like with a finely aerated wine. 表達脈絡

就像经过充分醒酒的葡萄酒一样。

It's one of a few of Zisha's special properties believed to enhance the taste of the tea. 語法

这被认为是紫砂能够提升茶味的几种特殊性质之一。

Scientific analysis shows that the mineral composition of Zisha 表達脈絡

科学分析表明，紫砂的矿物成分

allows the temperatures to fluctuate less when these pots are put to heat. 語法

能让壶在受热时温度波动更小。

Fewer fluctuations means the flavor of the tea is more likely to be preserved. 語法

温度波动越小，茶的风味就越容易保留下来。

Making Zisha teapots is a painstaking process. 用詞

制作紫砂壶是一个极其费心费力的过程。

Each step is done by hand.

每一道工序都由手工完成。

Artists first smash the prepared Zisha clay into very thin layers with a wooden mallet.

艺人首先用木槌把备好的紫砂泥捶打成非常薄的泥片。

It can take a year to learn how to do this correctly. 語法

要正确掌握这项技法，可能得学上一年。

For a round teapot,

制作圆形茶壶时，

the largest slice is formed into a tube on a revolving round plate.

要先把最大的一块泥片放在旋转的圆盘上，围成筒状。

Boqin will then pat the body using a thin wooden tool,

接着，唐伯琴会用一把薄木拍子拍打壶身，

beating the clay into the desired shape. 短語搭配

把泥料拍打成想要的形状。

For more intricate teapots,

对于造型更复杂的茶壶，

makers scratch patterns onto the hardened clay and attach extra decor,

制作者会在变硬的泥坯上刻画纹样，并加上额外装饰，

all of which can increase the final value. 語法

这些都可能提高成品的最终价值。

Zisha teapots are typically small and hold just a cup of water, 用詞

紫砂壶通常很小，只能装一杯水，

so they don't require much clay.

所以用不了多少泥料。

But getting that little bit of clay isn't simple or affordable.

但要弄到这么一点泥料，既不容易，也不便宜。

The limited supply of Zisha ore 短語搭配

紫砂矿石供应有限，

boosts the cost of the raw material.

推高了原材料的成本。

To protect the resource,

为了保护这种资源，

China's government has banned mining in Huanglong. 語法

中国政府已禁止在黄龙山开采矿石。

In 2005,

2005年，

Yixing Huanglong Mountain was closed,

宜兴黄龙山矿区被关闭，

and raw ore of Zisha clay has grown by

此后，紫砂原矿的价格已经上涨了

hundreds of times.

数百倍。

And every year,

而且每年

it's still going up because raw ore is a non-renewable resource.

价格仍在上涨，因为原矿是不可再生资源。

Boqin uses clay her family has reserved since the '90s.

唐伯琴使用的是家里从20世纪90年代起就储存下来的泥料。

That's also the decade that she officially began making these teapots.

她也是在那个年代正式开始制作紫砂壶的。

To achieve her senior title,

为了获得高级工艺美术师职称，

Boqin needed 25 years of experience,

唐伯琴需要有25年的从业经验，

at least five gold awards for her creations,

至少凭自己的作品赢得五项金奖，

and to pass a rigorous test.

并通过一场严格的考试。

This teapot is one of the pots

这把壶是我的作品之一，

I made when I was

是我当时

trying to get my senior artisan title,

申评高级工艺美术师职称时做的，

or something like that. 語氣意圖

大概就是这样。

I went home that night and she was there checking my work.

那天晚上我回到家，她还在检查我的作品。

Every step of the way, 習語

每一个步骤，

she was there checking my work.

她都在旁边检查。

She was taking pictures of every step.

每一步她都拍了照片。

I worked for three days

我花了三天时间

doing this work.

做这件作品。

This work was very hard.

这项工作非常辛苦。

The next level for Boqin to achieve,

唐伯琴接下来要争取的级别，

which is also the highest,

同时也是最高级别，

is the title of master craftsman. 文化背景

是工艺美术大师称号。

This requires at least 30 years of experience.

这要求至少有30年的从业经验。

Why?

为什么？

Because customers aren't paying for just the finite raw material, 語法

因为顾客付钱买的不只是数量有限的原材料，

but also for a high level of artistry.

还有高超的艺术造诣。

It's just that this artisan has a market reputation

而且，这位艺人在市场上有自己的声誉，

and market reputation

这种市场声誉

that also affects the value of the Zisha teapot.

也会影响紫砂壶的价值。

It's just that it may seem like it's just a craft from a craft perspective, 講解

单从工艺角度看，它或许只是一件手工艺品，

but the value of the clay already exists.

但泥料本身就有价值。

And the second thing is that if it can be considered art,

其次，如果它能被视为艺术品，

the value of the clay will be higher.

泥料的价值就会更高。

The value of this teapot will be higher.

这把壶的价值也会更高。

So that's why Zisha teapots

所以，这就是紫砂壶……

For tea enthusiasts,

对爱茶之人来说，

buying a senior or master's Zisha teapot is like buying functional art. 用詞

购买高级工艺美术师或工艺美术大师制作的紫砂壶，就像购买一件实用艺术品。

Functional in that it's made for a great tea-drinking experience. 短語搭配

说它实用，是因为它能带来绝佳的饮茶体验。

And like art,

说它是艺术品，

because drinkers appreciate the delicate work and skill required to make it.

是因为饮茶者欣赏制作它所需的精细工艺和高超技艺。

It's just that making teapots

其实，制作紫砂壶

is mainly about the charm.

主要讲究的就是神韵。

Your charm has to be there.

作品里必须有你自己的神韵。

You have to work hard to do this.

你得下苦功夫才能做到。

You have to be very strict with yourself and with the work. 短語搭配

你必须对自己、对作品都要求非常严格。

You have to take every single step seriously. 短語搭配

每一个步骤都必须认真对待。

You have to make every single teapot perfectly.

每一把壶都必须做到尽善尽美。

Your body has to be

壶身一定要……

You are round

如果壶身是圆的，

or you are

或者是……

you can just look at your mouth.

再看看壶嘴。

You can't have a pot that's this big 語法

壶身不能这么大，

and a mouth that's this small.

壶嘴却这么小。

Or this handle

再看这个壶把，

This handle has to be a certain way.

壶把也必须做得恰到好处。

A telltale sign of just how well a teapot is crafted 短語搭配

判断一把茶壶的工艺究竟有多好，一个明显的依据

is how liquid pours from the neck.

就是水从壶嘴流出的状态。

The tea should pour out splatter-free from a well-made Zisha teapot. 用詞

做工精良的紫砂壶倒茶时，茶汤应该顺畅流出，毫不飞溅。

In the end,

归根结底，

it's the importance tea-making and tea-drinking have in China 語法

正是沏茶和饮茶在中国的重要地位

that makes such expensive teapots worth what customers pay. 語法

让这些昂贵的茶壶值得顾客为之付出高价。

So for example,

比如说，

I saw and liked this piece of art.

我看到并喜欢上了这件艺术品。

I buy it and take it home.

我把它买下来，带回家。

That's the connection between me and it.

这就是我与它之间的联系。

Chinese people call it "yuanfen." 文化背景

中国人把这种联系称为“缘分”。

It's a special connection.

这是一种特殊的联系。