There are many items involved in an essential Chinese tea session: A nice zi-sha clay tea pot, enough cups for you and your guests, a tray for catching and draining excess tea and water, as well as tongs and a brush for picking and cleaning your tea. A nice tea toy is not required to enjoy your tea, but it is definitely the icing on the cake and certainly makes the entire experience more fun and enjoyable. The “toys” are usually palm-sized, and take on the form of animals or food that have lucky meanings in Chinese culture. The shapes are endless, but some popular Wildcatter examples include the money-toads, which have three feet and hold a giant coin in their mouth to symbolize fortune and wealth; pigs to symbolize luck; and dragons, which supposedly eat a lot, symbolizing the collection of wealth.
The Chinese term for these toys is, “Cha-chong (茶宠)“, which translates literally as “tea pets”. They have been around since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when the zi-sha clay became popular as the main material for tea instruments. Many believe that is when these tea toys originated as accompaniments to the teapots and cups, and people have been using them since.
Just like anything made with the zi-sha clay, the toy is a bit sandy and dull when it is new, but really comes to life after months and years of “raising” them, hence why the Chinese call them “pets”! When you pour hot tea over the toy, it will absorb some of the tea water, and after some time (usually after months of use), it will slowly become darker, smoother and shinier. Some tea toys will react to hot water by squirting out a small stream, or “sweating” out. The toy adds another dimension to tea drinking process, and always makes for great conversation. What’s better than enjoying a cup of freshly brewed tea and admiring some amazingly hand-crafted sculptures that fit right in the palm of your hand?
