Zisha is an important utensil in traditional Chinese tea culture. Old tea drinkers who love tea will have a Zisha teapot in their hands. Just because of its unique "breathable but not water-permeable" characteristics, it can be used to make tea and "can bring out the color, fragrance and taste of real tea".
The main method of forming Zisha ware is hand-kneading. Fine scraping and correction can make the shape structure more rigorous, the contour lines clear and appropriate, and achieve the effect of roundness and smoothness. The real handmade Zisha ware refers to the whole process from clay to molding, without the help of any mold, and it is all done by hand. Making a pot with traditional hand-molding techniques is a big test for the craftsman's skills. In addition, the production cycle is long and the yield rate is very low. A good handmade Zisha is hard to come by.
Today, Tongxinshe Teahouse brings you this collection-level handmade Zisha teapot, the "Rare Dahongpao Zhu Ni Fang Xia Teapot" with a capacity of 100cc made by Master Hui Xiangyun, the 15th generation descendant of Hui Mengchen.
Hui Xiangyun is a family of Shitao. He is the 15th generation descendant of Hui Mengchen, a great pottery maker in the Ming Dynasty. He was born in Yixing in 1968. He learned pot making from his father since he was a child, and later studied under He Daohong, a master of Chinese ceramic art. He has a solid foundation, outstanding craftsmanship, and a deep understanding of purple sand. He is called "the folk purple sand master" by collectors. Jin Yong wrote the inscription "Hui Xiangyun Zisha Treasure" for him, and Master Qi Gong personally wrote "Xiangyun Pot Art, Dare to Climb to the Top". Since the 1990s, he was worried about the over-exploitation of purple sand mines and began to vigorously collect high-quality mines. At that time, he was jokingly called "Tibetan Mud Master" by people in the industry. Whether it is the selection of materials, modeling, or production technology, his works are remarkable and exquisite, without any trace of shoddy workmanship, and have strong artistic appreciation and collection value.
To make a purple clay teapot, the choice of clay material largely determines the quality of the teapot. This teapot uses the rare clay material Dahongpao Zhu Ni collected by Teacher Hui Xiangyun. This clay material is the original Dahongpao Zhu Ni produced in Zhaozhuang. The mine has been discontinued for a long time. The clay material is rich in original ore yellow particles and has a rich granular feel. The finished product is similar to the effect of the Zhu Ni teapot in the Qing Dynasty. It is firm and solid, and has good air permeability. It is rosy and beautiful, easy to soak and maintain the patina, with rich layers of skin and exudes an ancient temperament.
Zhu Ni Dahongpao has a high shrinkage rate. After firing to the finished product, the total shrinkage reaches 29%. The finished product rate is low and the cost is high, so it is more valuable. Owning a Zhu Ni Dahongpao purple clay teapot is one of the wishes of many tea lovers.