We are very excited to receive a few Nixing teapots by Huang Fu Sheng. Huang has a studio in Qinzhou where he wheels his teapots. He holds the highest official rank of 高级工艺美术师 “Senior Artist,” and is known for his wheeling and shaping - his teapots are often without any carvings. These are bigger teapots, around 250ml.
About the Clay
Nixing Clay pottery is one of the 4 famous types of Chinese ceramics, which include Yixing Zisha. Nixing ceramics are made in Qinzhou, Guangxi. The art is quite old, having been practiced over 1000 years. The clay is found in the surrounding area of Qinzhou, is environmentally friendly, and is used without adding any glaze, paint or other chemicals, making it a safe and healthy clay for use in teaware. Nixing clay is prized for its ability to take on a patina with use, like yixing, and for its degree of porosity. The clay is less porous than zisha but more than porcelain, making it a good clay for use when brewing oolong (similar use to Zhuni Zisha).
You can read more about Nixing clay here.
Preparation Before Use
Nixing Teapots should be prepared before using the first time. This is called "opening the pot". It removes any remaining dust from the teapot.
We recommend rinsing the teapot under warm water two or three times, then filling the teapot with boiling water and emptying it out two to three times. After this the teapot is ready for use.