古人云：“人无贵贱，家无贫富，饮食器具皆所必需。”自从茶进入中国人的生活领域以来，茶无论是药用、食用、饮用，都离不开茶具。在人们对茶叶利用和发展的漫长岁月中，作为器物文化体系，茶具的演变发展无不与茶保持着相依和承继的关系。不同的历史阶段，不同的地区，不同的民族，由于饮茶习惯和饮茶方式的差异，所使用的茶具其材料、造型、工艺和称谓皆有所不同，但使用起来无不得心应手，视觉上也无不尽善尽美。正如常人所说：“美食不如美器”。精美的茶具令人赏心悦目，其艺术价值往往会升华品茗给中国人所带来的人生享受。

    As an ancient saying goes, ‘drinking and eating utensils and vessels are necessities for every household, gentle or low, rich or poor.’ Since tea entered into the Chinese’s life, tea-things are indispensible whether tea is used for medicine, for food or for drink. In the long course of people’s exploitation and development of tea, the evolution of tea-things has been in pace with that of tea. In different historical periods, in different regions inhabited by different ethnic groups, differences in tea drinking have led to the diversity of tea-things in material, design, technique and name. However, all of them can be conveniently used and the ways of using them look graceful and elegant. As a common saying goes, ‘An exquisite container comes before the delicious food it holds’. Exquisite tea-things are pleasant to both the eye and the heart. Their artistic value can often elevate the pleasures tea brings to the Chinese.