{"product_id":"zisha-teapot-zhu-ni-ke-hui-xiao-ying-040","title":"Xiao Ying Yixing Zisha Teapot – Zhuni Clay, 160ml","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is a 160 ml xiao ying teapot in Zhuni Clay, hand-carved, made in Dingshu, Yixing. Its Chinese name is 笑樱.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe clay.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe form.\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\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 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis pot.\u003c\/strong\u003e Catalogue no. 040, 160 ml, US$150. Photographed individually — the images show the pot you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMade by 陈敬. We buy directly from the workshop rather than through a wholesaler, so the attribution comes with the pot.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eClay\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eZhuni Clay (朱泥)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eForm\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eXiao Ying (笑樱)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCapacity\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e160 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\u003e040\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-zhu-ni-ke-hui-de-zhong-034\"\u003eDezhong Yixing Zisha Teapot\u003c\/a\u003e — Zhuni Clay, 80 ml, $130\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zisha-teapot-zhu-ni-ni-hui-he-tun-xi-shi-320\"\u003eHandmade Xishi Yixing Zisha Teapot\u003c\/a\u003e — Zhuni Clay, 180 ml, $299\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/zisha-teapot-jiang-po-xiao-ying-214\"\u003eHandmade Xiao Ying Yixing Zisha Teapot\u003c\/a\u003e — Jiangponi Clay, 160 ml, $85\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eOr browse \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/zhuni-yixing-teapots\"\u003eevery Zhuni pot\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/yixing-zisha-teapots\"\u003ethe full Yixing catalogue\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Yihu Yike","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45837635780655,"sku":"YHYK-0040","price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/8676\/5615\/files\/xiao-ying-zhuni-clay-yixing-zisha-teapot-040-01_160fa4e6-3c7c-483c-97c0-f7b4923e085b.jpg?v=1787071544","url":"https:\/\/yixingzishateapot.com\/products\/zisha-teapot-zhu-ni-ke-hui-xiao-ying-040","provider":"Yihu Yike","version":"1.0","type":"link"}