For almost a decade, Xishi style teapots have made their remarkable appearances in our store, be it in its most classic form or in the extravagant Chaozhou style. Soft and gentle in appearance, it is no wonder that these pots have been named after one of China’s four beauties Xishi, who with her good looks is told to have eclipsed the moon and shamed the flowers. This beauty here leans quite toward the classic style, nevertheless subtly enhancing it with a slightly wider spout better suited for quick pouring and a handle better suited for, um, handling. You get the gist: all the same but better. And did we mention the rare Jiangponi clay which provides not only this specific speckled look (and feel) but also a unique influence on the taste? Inside, a built-in ball filter strains the tea while the conical spout channels and curves the stream for a beautifully smooth and now even quicker pour. Functional yet playful, the unique features are a delight to discover, suggesting the good nature it could bring to a tea table. No surprise the artist rightfully calls it improved Xishi!

The clay

Discovered by accident while building a road between two mountains, both Yixing mines, this is a paragenetic ore called jiangponi (meaning 'downhill clay'), formed from a combination of minerals found in hongni, zini, and duanni—a good choice for the indecisive.

The intersection of these different ores offer differing combinations of each, though even all together, this is a rarer material than other Yixing ores. The processing of the clay leaves one ore speckling a blended colour, depending on the exact mixture and firing temperature.

Why do I need a Yixing teapot?

The material and the shape of Yixing teapots are ideal for brewing tea. They bring out the tea flavor like no other tea vessel. Hand-made Yixing teapots are also valuable handicrafts sought after by collectors. Their value raises with time, usage and artist popularity.

Yixing teapots are made of a rare and depleting clay mined in the mountains near Yixing, a city in the Jiangsu province. The high density yet porous nature of the clay absorbs the smell of the tea brewed in it. For this reason, it is advised to use the pot with only one kind of tea (for instance with black teas or green teas). Bring your tea to the next level; allow yourself an authentic Yixing teapot.