{"product_id":"zisha-teapot-lao-zi-ni-xi-shi-hu-lu-401","title":"Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot – Aged Zini Clay, 150ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is a 150 ml xishi teapot in Aged Zini Clay, hand-carved, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is 西施葫芦.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe clay.\u003c\/strong\u003e Zini ore that has been weathered and stored for years before use. The saying in Yixing is that clay grows more supple with age — aged zini works more smoothly on the wheel and fires to a deeper, more settled purple. Mellower than fresh zini. The liquor comes through soft and rounded rather than bright, which is why long-time drinkers tend to gravitate to older stock.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe form.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow it was made.\u003c\/strong\u003e Decoration cut into the leather-hard clay by hand with a steel blade, in the Yixing engraving tradition that goes back to Chen Mansheng's collaborations with potters.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize and tea.\u003c\/strong\u003e 150 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, aged white tea and black tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis pot.\u003c\/strong\u003e Catalogue no. 401, 150 ml, US$350. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMade by an independent Dingshu potter working outside the titled-master system. We do not attach a name we cannot verify.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eClay\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAged Zini Clay (老紫泥)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eForm\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eXishi (西施)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCapacity\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e150 ml\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCraft\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHand-carved (刻绘)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eOrigin\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDingshu, Yixing, Jiangsu, China\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCatalogue no.\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e401\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNew to zisha? Read \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/journal\/how-to-season-a-yixing-teapot\"\u003ehow to season a Yixing teapot\u003c\/a\u003e before first use.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSimilar teapots\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zisha-teapot-lao-zi-ni-ke-hui-han-wa-426\"\u003eHanwa Yixing Zisha Teapot\u003c\/a\u003e — Aged Zini Clay, 130 ml, $450\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zisha-teapot-lao-zi-ni-ke-hui-heng-yuan-341\"\u003eHeng Yuan Yixing Zisha Teapot\u003c\/a\u003e — Aged Zini Clay, 100 ml, $350\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zisha-teapot-lao-zi-ni-san-zu-yu-huan-439\"\u003eHandmade Artisan Design Yixing Zisha Teapot\u003c\/a\u003e — Aged Zini Clay, 150 ml, $260\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eOr browse \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/zini-yixing-teapots\"\u003eevery Aged Zini pot\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/xishi-yixing-teapots\"\u003emore Xishi teapots\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yihu Yike","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45837662978095,"sku":"YHYK-0401","price":350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/8676\/5615\/files\/xishi-aged-zini-clay-yixing-zisha-teapot-401-01_62603330-7179-4be4-8cea-a314612bd81f.jpg?v=1787072257","url":"https:\/\/yixingzishateapot.com\/products\/zisha-teapot-lao-zi-ni-xi-shi-hu-lu-401","provider":"Yihu Yike","version":"1.0","type":"link"}