Q&A: A British designer brings modern feel to traditional Chinese crafts

Zisha, or purple clay, is an important material with a long history in China. It has been widely applied in making teapots and pots since ancient times. Today, there are even electric zisha rice cookers.

As most people have become accustomed to using traditional Chinese-style zisha wares, British designer Christopher Jenner is giving new looks to the material.

Born in South Africa and now based in London, Jenner is skillful at breathing new life into old things.

He was inspired by the simple beauty of zisha on a trip to Shanghai. He traveled six times to Yixing in East China’s Jiangsu province- the most well-known home of traditional zisha products - to finish his designs, the Yixing Ceramic Collection.

Here are 10 questions and answers with Jenner, which will let you learn more about the designer and how he was inspired by Chinese culture.