Handmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot – Golden Duanni Clay, 100ml
Handmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot – Golden Duanni Clay, 100ml
This is a 100 ml xishi teapot in Golden Duanni Clay, fully handmade, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is Xishi.
The clay. The duanni that fires brightest — a clear, luminous gold, with an unusually fine and even grain for the family. Deepens from yellow toward amber as it is used, so the colour of the pot and the colour of the liquor start to answer each other. Best on lighter teas where that can be seen.
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. 100 ml is the classic gongfu size — comfortable for one drinker or two sharing small cups, and the volume most Chaoshan-style brewing was built around. Best suited to green tea, raw pu-erh and light oolong.
One honest note on duanni-family clays: because the body is pale and very open, dark and heavily roasted teas can leave uneven marks if the pot is handled with oily hands or left wet. Rinse it, dry it, and keep it to lighter teas and it will come up beautifully.
This pot. Catalogue no. 151, 100 ml, US$85. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.
Made by Men Jing. We buy directly from the workshop rather than through a wholesaler, so the attribution comes with the pot.
| Clay | Golden Duanni Clay () |
|---|---|
| Form | Xishi () |
| Capacity | 100 ml |
| Craft | Fully handmade () |
| Origin | Dingshu, Yixing, Jiangsu, China |
| Catalogue no. | 151 |
New to zisha? Read how to season a Yixing teapot before first use.
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