Shi Piao Yixing Teapot

The wide, stonelike surface of this pot's domed body and lid invites a gentle stroke before filling it with lifeblood tea and water. A generous size for a Shi Piao, with the form's already conical shape, means a particularly wide base into which leaves can expand. An elbowlike fold in the spout directs flowing tea into a lower and cup-bound arc for easier pouring, while a flattened ball filter within keeps leaves from clogging the outlet. Rather than trying to conceal the lid's join with the body and vie for strict geometry, the artist has made the interesting decision to introduce a series of subtle curves that emphasize the interfaces: the lid and body each have their own swells, and the body doesn't hit the table at a sharp angle, but instead fades away into its underbelly.

The clay

The yellowish duanni (缎泥) ore is the lightest of typical Yixing ores, and depending on the exact composition and firing can range from from green to yellow to grey. It can smooth astringency, though some also enjoy using it with lighter teas—white, yellow, and even green.

Why do I need a Yixing teapot?

The material and the shape of Yixing teapots are ideal for brewing tea. They bring out the tea flavor like no other tea vessel. Hand-made Yixing teapots are also valuable handicrafts sought after by collectors. Their value raises with time, usage and artist popularity.

Yixing teapots are made of a rare and depleting clay mined in the mountains near Yixing, a city in the Jiangsu province. The high density yet porous nature of the clay absorbs the smell of the tea brewed in it. For this reason, it is advised to use the pot with only one kind of tea (for instance with black teas or green teas). Bring your tea to the next level; allow yourself an authentic Yixing teapot.