Handmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot – Tianqingni Clay, 100ml
Handmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot – Tianqingni Clay, 100ml
This is a 100 ml xishi teapot in Tianqingni Clay, fully handmade, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is 西施.
The clay. A legendary zini recorded in Ming-dynasty texts and now genuinely scarce. It fires to a deep, quiet blue-green cast with a faint purple glow and a very fine grain. Understated. The appeal is in the restraint — an aged, still quality rather than anything showy.
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 aged pu-erh, aged oolong and white tea.
This pot. Catalogue no. 143, 100 ml, US$85. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.
Made by 徐承祖. We buy directly from the workshop rather than through a wholesaler, so the attribution comes with the pot.
| Clay | Tianqingni Clay (天青泥) |
|---|---|
| Form | Xishi (西施) |
| Capacity | 100 ml |
| Craft | Fully handmade (全手工) |
| Origin | Dingshu, Yixing, Jiangsu, China |
| Catalogue no. | 143 |
New to zisha? Read how to season a Yixing teapot before first use.
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