Teapot, Lidded Bowl, Tray

Emperor Qianlong often spent summers at the Chengde Mountain Resort, where he collected dew from lotus leaves on Lake Taiping for brewing tea. Among his imperial poems, there are six titled ‘Tea Brewed with Lotus Dew’, two of which are inscribed on this tea set. The complete set consists of a teapot, a lidded bowl, and a tray. Each piece is decorated with iron-red designs. The teapot and tray depict lotus scenes and bear the imperial poem, while the lidded bowl is fully covered with the poem’s text. By inscribing his own poetry directly on his tea utensils and pairing it with painting, Emperor Qianlong turned the act of tea drinking into a refined expression of artistic taste and personal delight.