Yixing Chinese Tea Pot
Sapphire Zhuni Red Clay
An Yixing Chinese tea pot made using an attractive sapphire red Zhuni clay. This pot holds 220 milliliters and comes with 2 cups.
This attractive design is named after the most beautiful woman who ever lived in China - Xishi. It is made by highly regarded artist Zhu Xinnan （朱新南）.
It is one of his more popular designs.
Which Clay?
The clay comes from the original clay mine of Yixing County: Huanglong Shan (Yellow Dragon Mountain). It is a high quality red clay (Zhuni) that has been left to weather for 25 years before being crafted.
(This Yixing mine has now shut. So the original red clay is usually used to make smaller pots.)
Because it has appears sapphire on the outside, it is known by the Yixing artists as the Sapphire Zhuni.
Since this is a red clay, it is harder and has higher frequency, which you can detect by gently knocking the lid against the pot.
Although it is best for brewing green tea or aromatic oolong, you can also use it to brew other types of tea. Just remember to use one type of tea for one pot.
Capacity
The pot holds 220 milliliters and is suitable for 2 people drinking. It comes with 2 Yixing cups.
Seal
The surface has a natural luster. After short period of seasoning, it acquires a greater shine, which has a warm, darker hue.
You can also find Mr Zhu's seal at the bottom of the pot. The four characters says "Zhu Xin Nan Make".
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Masterly illustration of the very essence of elegance in... |
Yes, the Yixing Baoshilan tea pot is a superbly handicrafted beauty (I certainly understand why Mr Zhu Xinan wins prizes!) and a pleasure to use when I make oolong tea to myself (my wife swears to coffee). Its volume equates one mug (for practical reasons) or four of the small cups (for fun and tradition) accompanying the pot.
My only technical critique would be that the pot does drip when pouring the tea - it seems inevitable, and I notice that you use a tray, maybe for the same reason? To avoid dripping one must make a very sharp lower edge of the sprout – and then it won’t last long in practical use: thin ceramics tend to break easily.
But these are quibbles, the pot is a masterly illustration of the very essence of elegance in pottery!
If you find it worthy of it, the pot gets a 5+ rating from me.
My father, now 94 of age, is a chemical engineer once specializing in glazing techniques (and former holder of a number of important patents). As a hobby he used to make pottery (including tea pots) on which to test his formulas - and it is from his con amore pottery production that I have gained some insight into the challenges of handicrafting clay.
Testing
This Yixing Chinese Tea Pot has 14 holes behind the mouth.
We have tested it according to the guidelines of How to Buy Chinese Tea Set and found that it passes all the tests prescribed.
What's Included?
This tea pot will come with 2 cups made from lower grade Yixing purple clay.
The price includes courier shipping. For US and Western Europe, it will take 5 to 10 days to arrive. No other shipping charge is payable.
About the Author
Mr Zhu Xinnan was born in 1957 in Yixing from a long line of potters.
He graduated from the Jiangsu Industrial School in 1980, before taking up apprentice in Yixing Pottery Factory to learn creative design.
He enrolled in Central Institute of Art and Craft from 1992 to 1994. Three years later in 1997, he was awarded "China Outstanding Young Potter".
He went on to specialize in Yixing designs for the last 20 years. In China, he is highly regarded for his non-decorative, classical designs.
He currently has two Yixing titles. One is a National Level Assistant Craft Master (国家级助理工艺师). The other is Craft and Art Master (工艺美术师).
Although there are ten of thousands of potters in Yixing, only a few hundreds can be regarded as masters with official titles. Mr Zhu is one of them, which speak a lot of about his caliber and standing in China.
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