Handmade Qinzhou Nixing Pottery Teapot Long Zun

Nixing pottery is not glazed but natural firing. The clay is fine and smooth with good air permeability. Nixing pottery is rich in minerals, which produces kiln change during the firing process. The color of each pot may be slightly different during the kiln change. After certain time of raising/yang hu, the beauty of the teapot is easy to appear, the surface will become smoother and warmer with better colour.

This Long Zun Ni Xing teapot is crafted by Master Zhou Yujiao. Its cylindrical body paired with a square spout achieves a harmonious and dignified presence. The teapot knob is shaped into a Pixiu (貔貅), which, in Chinese traditional culture, is considered an auspicious mythical creature. The Pixiu is not only a symbol of wealth attraction but is also believed to bring good fortune.

The four characters on one side of the teapot, "竹影清风," depict the scene of the wind moving through bamboo, causing the bamboo to sway and their shadows on the ground to flutter accordingly. On the other side, there is a line of ancient poetry, "千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风," which means that despite thousands of trials and tribulations, including the assault of winds from all directions, the bamboo remains steadfast and resilient, never losing its strong nature.

Qinzhou Nixing Pottery, together with Yixing Zisha Clay, Yunnan Jianshui Pottery, Sichuan Rongchang Pottery, are the four most famous Pottery in China. The clay is mixed with pottery unique to the eastern and western Qingjiang River. As the Nixing Pottery is buried deeply in the Mountainside stratum, it is pure natural, environment protecting, and including kinds of micro elements such as Fe, Zn, Ca, Se etc. that are good for our health.

In 2008, the craft of Guangxi Qinzhou Nixing Pottery was approved as national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council.

The unique characteristic of natural double porosity structure of air permeable but water impermeable makes the teapot full of oxygen molecule which is good for long time storage of tea and food.

Eastern Pottery / Dong Ni is soft which Western Pottery / Xi Ni is hard. They are usually mixed with the ratio of 60% Eastern Pottery and 40% Western Pottery to support each other, thus making the teapot high quality.

Zhou Yujiao, who is born in 1988 in Linchuan, Jiangxi, falls in love in pottery craft since childhood. Since 2002, he has learned pottery craft in Jing De Zhen, Jiangxi; Dingshu, Yixing, and Qinzhou, Guangxi. With the professional courses, his skirl of making pottery teapots has been improved much. Finally, he specialized in traditional Qinzhou Nixing Pottery teapot and gradually formed special artistic style blending with styles of Yixing, Jing De Zhen and Qinzhou. His productions are spirituality, rich in cultural connotation and widely praised by many collectors.

Qinzhou is a prefecture-level city of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and is located in southwestern China. Nixing Pottery in Qinzhou has been regarded as one of the most ethnic characteristics local specialties. As the traditional art, Qinzhou Nixing pottery is more than 1,300 years history. According to historical records: the Qinzhou pottery is invented before Tang Dynasty and becoming refinement in Tang Dynasty. To the Qing Dynasty Xianfeng years, Qinzhou pottery is prosperous, and is widely used.