Handmade Frog Gong Chun Yixing Zisha Teapot

The Gong Chun teapot is created by the Yixing Zisha teapot artist in Jiangsu Province during the Zhengde and Jiajing years of the Ming Dynasty. He used to be an official's book boy, according to mythology. When he accompanied his master to Jinsha Temple in Yixing to study, he encountered an old monk who was very excellent at manufacturing Zisha pots, and he began to learn in secret. Later, he collected the clay that had accumulated on the bottom of the washing tank and fashioned a teapot in the shape of a giant ginkgo tree's tree tumor. After fire, this teapot turned out to be quite cute, and it quickly became popular, therefore it was given the name "Gong Chun." Under its influence, the masters of teapot-making in all dynasties have followed suit, which has objectively increased the level of Zisha teapot production expertise.

TeaVivre's Gong Chun teapot is crafted from well-selected Duan Ni. It has lifelike shape and delicate workmanship. The knob is a cute and colorful frog, while the handle and spout are shaped like branches. The teapot as a whole is simple and attractive, with exquisite details that demonstrate the maker's artisan talents. Collectors and fans of Zisha teapots should not miss it!

Material – Duan Ni

Duanni, also called Lao Tuanni, is often seen around Huanglong Shan, Yixing, in Jiangsu Province. Aside from being used to make pottery, duanni is often finely ground for use in blends; when fired the clay turns yellow in color, with tiny speckles of red throughout. This type of clay is loose with double air-hole structures within, resulting in smoother cross-ventilation than other types of clay, establishing it as a great choice for usage in teapots.

The Maker – Yuan Ting

Yuan Ting was born in the Zisha village of Yixing, and is skilled in the design and creation of Zisha teapots while using a style combining both modern reality and older tradition. As a result, her works are elegant and graceful, yet simultaneously simple. Using only top-quality materials in her works, she inherits and reinforces tradition while stepping forward with bold innovations in her own uniquely personal style.

Origin

Yixing County is known as the Pottery Capital of China for its extensive 6500-year history of the craft. The area boasts abundant resources of argil, tea, bamboo, and charcoal, each of which contributes an important base material for the making of pottery. Yixing Zisha products have earned countless prizes both at home in China as well as abroad, with a few exceptional works presented as national gifts during international diplomacy.