Capacity: Approximately 190ml
This is an yixing teapot made from Zhima lüni 芝麻绿泥. This clay is a subtype of lüni named for its spotted appearance resembling sesame seeds (zhima 芝麻). When sorting through Benshan lüni ore, the ore that contains more iron is separated from the rest. This ore is then processed into clay. After firing, the iron content in the clay gives it this dark spotted appearance. Like benshan lüni, this clay is favoured for rounding out the harsher notes of some teas. It is very porous compared to other zisha and is better at retaining heat.
You can read more about lüni clay, and other varieties of duanni clay, in our blog entry here.
This pot is known as "half-handmade" as the sculptor shapes the main body by hand using a moulding tool. The handle, spout, holes, and the finishing touches are done by hand. In fact, no machine was used in it's shaping as the use of the tool is entirely manual.
You can read more about half handmade teapots in our blog entry here.
This teapot was made by Lin Hanpeng and Chen Chunhong Studio.
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.