Handmade Hong Yun Dang Tou Yixing Zisha Teapot

Goldfish are a positive symbol in China, those with red atop their heads particularly so: they show Hong Yun Dang Tou, meaning that good luck is coming. This Zisha teapot from TeaVivre is handmade from carefully-selected Yixing purple clay, the body design delicate and simple, relatively unadorned, with the lid providing a sharp contrast with its intricate and lovely depiction of the goldfish. This traditional symbol expands on the otherwise simple appearance of the pot, and also ties together these time-tried ideas and myths.

Material

Zi Ni is a classic and widely recognized Zisha clay on the market, refined from Zisha ore dug out of the mine of Huanglong, Yixing. This clay has a stable, mature color, a high iron content, and good breathability and structure. Along with this, it barely contracts when fired and molds easily, marking it as a good choice for large crafts and also the first choice of clay for many Zisha makers. Teapots made out of Zi Ni can easily maintain a lustrous shine, and are generally preferred for brewing light-roasted oolong or pu-erh teas.

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.