Xiao Ying Yixing Zisha Teapot – Zhuni Clay, 160ml
Xiao Ying Yixing Zisha Teapot – Zhuni Clay, 160ml
This is a 160 ml xiao ying teapot in Zhuni Clay, hand-carved, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is 笑樱.
The clay. Very high in iron, fired to a bright vermilion, and dense enough to ring when the lid is tapped. Zhuni shrinks by up to twenty percent in the kiln, so a large share of every batch cracks — the Yixing saying is that a zhuni pot without wrinkles is not zhuni. Dense and low-porosity, so it holds aroma at the surface instead of absorbing it. This is the clay that makes fragrant teas smell like themselves.
The form. The Xiao Ying form (笑樱) dates to the Ming dynasty. The name comes from the story of the ruler who made his consort laugh — a form associated with harmony and good humour. Full-bellied with a wide, softly turned mouth. Open and cheerful. Easy to load with leaf and easy to clean.
How it was made. 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.
Size and tea. At 160 ml this fills three or four cups at once — enough for guests without moving to a full teapot. Best suited to oolong, dancong and green tea.
This pot. Catalogue no. 040, 160 ml, US$150. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.
Made by 陈敬. We buy directly from the workshop rather than through a wholesaler, so the attribution comes with the pot.
| Clay | Zhuni Clay (朱泥) |
|---|---|
| Form | Xiao Ying (笑樱) |
| Capacity | 160 ml |
| Craft | Hand-carved (刻绘) |
| Origin | Dingshu, Yixing, Jiangsu, China |
| Catalogue no. | 040 |
New to zisha? Read how to season a Yixing teapot before first use.
Similar teapots
- Dezhong Yixing Zisha Teapot — Zhuni Clay, 80 ml, $130
- Handmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot — Zhuni Clay, 180 ml, $299
- Handmade Xiao Ying Yixing Zisha Teapot — Jiangponi Clay, 160 ml, $85
Or browse every Zhuni pot · the full Yixing catalogue.
