Tired of the monotonous life in the city. I packed my bags and headed to a small mountain village.
One morning, while wandering up the mountain, I bent down to pick up a peculiarly shaped stone.
Seeing an old man with a weathered face, carrying a basket of ores on his back.
That was Old Yu.
As we chatted, he told me that the ores he dug were used to make glazes. When he noticed my keen interest in his work, he smiled and invited me to his home.
Old Yu’s house was built against the mountain.
What I witnessed there felt like pure magic
——clay dug from the back hill, under his deft hands, gradually took the shape of cups
——ores, after careful grinding and processing, turned into vibrant pigments.
One by one, unique cups emerged, each bearing the marks of nature and craftsmanship.
"This craft has been passed down in my family for generations," Old Yu said, wiping his hands on his apron.
"I didn’t just stick to the old ways. I kept experimenting, and finally became the first person to develop the formula for the tea dust glaze used by ancient imperial families."
Now, he’s passing on these skills to his son, ensuring the legacy lives on.
It was these people, this place, and the magic of nature transformed into beautiful utensils that inspired me. Here, in the heart of the mountains, Saragaia was born……
with a mission to bring these naturally crafted treasures to more people, letting the stories of earth and craftsmanship touch every home.