Handmade Hanwa Yixing Zisha Teapot – Dicaoqing Zini Clay, 70ml

This is a 70 ml hanwa teapot in Dicaoqing Zini Clay, fully handmade, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is 汉瓦.

The clay. The most prized layer of the zini seam, cut from the very bottom of the deposit and recognisable by the green 'chicken-eye' inclusions in the raw ore. It fires purple with a green cast and a dense, jade-like surface. Dense yet still breathable — an unusual combination. Collectors seek it out because the patina stays restrained and deepens slowly rather than turning glossy.

The form. The Hanwa form (汉瓦) dates to the Qing dynasty. Modelled on Han-dynasty roof-end tiles, which were stamped with auspicious phrases such as 'may joy never end'. The body is cylindrical with flat shoulders and a straight wall. Firm, architectural lines. Takes a patina in a way that brings out an almost metallic depth.

How it was made. Built entirely by hand — the wall is beaten out from a slab and joined without a mould. Inside the body you can still read the tool marks and the joint line, which is how the method is verified.

Size and tea. At 70 ml this is a solo pot. One person, short infusions, and the small volume means you can push a good leaf through eight or ten steeps without ever brewing more than you drink. Best suited to aged pu-erh, yancha and black tea.

This pot. Catalogue no. 377, 70 ml, US$350. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.

Made by an independent Dingshu potter working outside the titled-master system. We do not attach a name we cannot verify.

New to zisha? Read how to season a Yixing teapot before first use.

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