Handmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot – Hei Duntou Clay, 130ml
Handmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot – Hei Duntou Clay, 130ml
This is a 130 ml xishi teapot in Hei Duntou Clay, fully handmade, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is 西施.
The clay. A dark, iron-rich ore that fires nearly black with a matte, stony surface. Heavy in tone and excellent at holding heat, which suits teas that want a long, hot steep.
The form. The Xishi form (西施) dates to the late Ming, attributed to attributed to Xu Youquan. Named for the classical beauty Xi Shi. Round and full-bodied, with a bead knob, a short spout, an inset lid and a reversed handle. The best-known small zhuni form there is — compact, soft-shouldered, and comfortable in one hand.
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. 130 ml serves two to three people from a single fill, which makes it the most generally useful size on a tea table. Best suited to ripe pu-erh, black tea and yancha.
This pot. Catalogue no. 169, 130 ml, US$60. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.
Made by 刘群. We buy directly from the workshop rather than through a wholesaler, so the attribution comes with the pot.
| Clay | Hei Duntou Clay (黑墩头) |
|---|---|
| Form | Xishi (西施) |
| Capacity | 130 ml |
| Craft | Fully handmade (全手工) |
| Origin | Dingshu, Yixing, Jiangsu, China |
| Catalogue no. | 169 |
New to zisha? Read how to season a Yixing teapot before first use.
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