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Guizhou girl designs tea set for Prince William's wedding
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A snapshot of the tea set Chinese girl Zhu Xiaoju sent to the Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton for their wedding scheduled on April 29, 2011. |
Zhu Xiaoju, a 20-something girl from China's Guizhou Province and once studied in Britain, entertained an idea a month ago while chatting with friends that she decided to order a customized porcelain tea set as a present for the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton.
On March 21, 2011, Zhu Xiaoju received a letter from British royal family thanking her contribution for the royal wedding.
In Jingdezhen, a famous town for producing porcelain in China, Zhu Xiaoju spent ten days visiting renowned masters to learn making techniques and designs for the tea set.
Finally, Zhu picked a hexagonal design in a blue and white rice pattern. Prince William and Kate Middleton's names are engraved on the surface, and the teapot and cups are decorated with intricate patterns of plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums and bamboo, the four plants regarded as symbols of the "four gentlemen of great virtue" in Chinese culture.
In addition, Zhu gave the tea set a meaningful name "Dian Xi," which draws from Chinese classic literary novel "The Dream of Red Mansions." The name signifies mutual affinity and agreement between lovers and expresses Zhu's best wishes to Prince William and Kate Middleton.
