For tea lovers, a purple clay teapot is an indispensable treasure in hand. Especially the small Zhuni teapots that have been popular for centuries, they are practical "luxuries" on the tea table – Zhuni clay is delicate and ruddy, exuding a charming and noble temperament. Its deep red color symbolizes good fortune, and it becomes more glossy with patina as it is nurtured over time. The tea brewed in it tastes particularly mellow and rich.
As early as the Qing Dynasty, pear-shaped small Zhuni teapots were very popular, and the trend of "famous people matching famous teapots" prevailed. Small Zhuni teapots made by renowned craftsmen were not only a symbol of status for high-ranking officials and literati but also a label to showcase their elegant taste. Even Emperor Qianlong, who had seen countless rare treasures, was deeply fond of these elegant and aroma-gathering small teapots – in the painting Emperor Hongli Enjoying the Moon on Mid-Autumn Festival, a purple clay Zhuni teapot placed quietly on the tea cabinet was exclusively used by Emperor Qianlong.
Today, Tongxin She Teahouse brings you an exquisite handmade work – the 70cc Wrinkled Zhuni Qiushui Teapot. It perfectly conforms to the purple clay teapot selection essence of "small teapots gather aroma" and "better small than large", which is why small Zhuni teapots have been popular in China for hundreds of years.
Clay is the soul of a purple clay teapot. As a precious collection of Tongxin She, this Qiushui Teapot has extremely strict requirements for clay selection – it uses Zhaozhuang Zhuni, which, together with Xiaomeiyao Zhuni, is known as two types of collector-grade precious Zhuni clay. Unlike ordinary Zhuni clay, which is mined from the surface tender clay layer and exists in small pieces, Zhaozhuang Zhuni is mined from under the yellow stone layer, in the form of hard ore blocks, making it very rare. What is more noteworthy is its shrinkage rate – the shrinkage rate of ordinary Zhuni clay is only 10%, while that of Zhaozhuang Zhuni can reach about 25% or even 30%, which is close to the limit of Zhuni clay shrinkage. Observing the teapot body, you can see obvious large vertical wrinkles, which is the legendary "no wrinkles, no Zhuni". At the same time, the teapot body has a strong sand texture, quite different from ordinary Zhuni clay, and is highly oily. Upon close inspection, there are many small black spots on the body, which are formed by the iron-rich minerals in the Zhuni ore precipitating on the surface during high-temperature firing.
The Qiushui Teapot is a famous purple clay ware popular during the Jiaqing and Daoguang reigns of the Qing Dynasty. It gets its name from the two characters "Qiushui" carved with double knives at the bottom. This Qiushui Teapot is modeled after the "Qiushui Teapot" from Mengchen's small works, a classic purple clay teapot shape – it has a round and full "Beauty's Shoulder", an elegant and slender neck, and a neat and refined spout. Its overall shape is soft and gentle, looking like a graceful lady from a distance, which perfectly echoes the elegant artistic conception of the word "Qiushui".
This teapot is personally crafted by Master Xu Linfeng, a National-level Arts and Crafts Master. Born in 1970, Master Xu has been deeply engaged in the purple clay field for more than 30 years. He constantly learns and innovates while inheriting traditions, and is deeply loved by collectors for his exquisite craftsmanship and unique aesthetic taste, becoming a well-known young and powerful potter in the purple clay Zhuni circle. From clay selection, teapot making to shaping, Master Xu personally handles every step with meticulous care. It should be noted that Zhuni clay is prone to deformation, cracking and other problems during the production process, which places extremely high requirements on the craftsman's skill level – this Wrinkled Zhuni Qiushui Teapot is a proud work of Master Xu, who has overcome the difficulties in making Zhuni teapots with excellent skills and integrated his ingenuity and passion into it.
With a 70cc capacity that gathers aroma and locks in flavor, the distinctive charm of Zhaozhuang Zhuni, the classic elegance of Qiushui shape, and the warmth of a master's handcraft – this Wrinkled Zhuni Qiushui Teapot is not only an excellent utensil for tea lovers to enjoy tea daily but also a fine purple clay collection worth collecting.