Qie Gua Yixing Zisha Teapot – Golden Zhuni Clay, 80ml
This is a 80 ml qie gua teapot in Golden Zhuni Clay, partially handmade, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is 茄瓜.
The clay. Zhuni that fires golden-orange rather than red. Usually made in small capacities, where the shrinkage problem is hardest to control. Shares zhuni's aroma-forward behaviour, in a warmer colour.
The form. The Qie Gua form (茄段) dates to the traditional. Modelled on an aubergine — a soft, tapering body with a rounded shoulder. Between a plain form and a naturalistic one: recognisably a vegetable, but restrained.
How it was made. Formed with the help of a mould for the body, with the spout, handle, lid and finishing worked by hand. A well-made half-handmade pot is a good pot; the difference is in labour, not in whether it brews well.
Size and tea. At 80 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 oolong, dancong and green tea.
This pot. Catalogue no. 025, 80 ml, US$100. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.
Made by 门静. We buy directly from the workshop rather than through a wholesaler, so the attribution comes with the pot.
| Clay | Golden Zhuni Clay (黄金朱泥) |
|---|---|
| Form | Qie Gua (茄瓜) |
| Capacity | 80 ml |
| Craft | Partially handmade (半手工) |
| Origin | Dingshu, Yixing, Jiangsu, China |
| Catalogue no. | 025 |
New to zisha? Read how to season a Yixing teapot before first use.
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Or browse every Golden Zhuni pot · the full Yixing catalogue.