Capacity: Approximately 100ml
Photos are of the actual teapot. There is only one teapot available. This teapot was handmade by 林汉鹏 Lin Hanpeng.
This pot is known as fully handmade as unlike most Yixing teapots that are half handmade the sculptor does not use a molding tool to shape the body, but instead shapes everything, including the body, by hand. Fully handmade teapots require more labor and more skill to construct, especially in the case of more complex shapes. Each one is entirely unique.
You can read more about fully handmade teapots in our blog entry here.
This is an Yixing teapot made from the rarer red clay known as 朱泥 zhuni. The clay will develop a shine from use. Zhuni clay is prized for its ability to bring out the best flavours. It is also the most difficult clay to fire as it is more likely to break during the process. This zhuni was mined from 赵庄 Zhaozhuang, one of the three mining sites for zhuni in Yixing, the other two being 黄龙山 Huang Long Shan, and 小煤窑 Xiaomeiyao.
You can read more about zhuni clay in our blog entry here.
A sample of this batch of clay was sent for testing by an independent lab using Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (EDXRF). EDXRF is a preferred method for testing, as it is non-destructive, and provides immediate data on the elemental composition of the material. The results (testing sheet photo included below) show no chemical additives. For more information on the testing and what the results mean, please see this article.
Preparation Before Use
Yixing Teapots should be prepared before using the first time. This is called "opening the pot". It removes the dust from firing 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.