The tall and refined 'palace lamp' form here gains something of a down-to-earth feel. One senses the human touch in the bowing of its medium-thin walls, while the lid projects strongly from the pot's rim, as if a secure cover for the light (of radiant leaves, presumably) inside. The typically slender handle and spout, on the other hand, contrast with delicacy, and the medium-thin walls may suit Taiwanese oolongs and other aromatic teas which are best brewed hot but cooled rapidly. Should finer leaves be used, a built-in clay ball filter should sift larger particles from the finished infusion, and the stream projects in a pleasant arc into a waiting pitcher or cup. Let it brighten your day with brilliant tea.

The clay

The precious Lao Zhuni (老朱泥) is a rare red ore extracted from the now closed mine in Xiaomeiyao (小煤窑), among the most famous sites for Yixing ore extraction. This Zhuni is particularly rare because the clay has been aged before being shaped into a teapot and fired, soaking and tempering the material. The suffix "lao" ("old" in Mandarin) refers to the long storage.

Zhuni shrinks significantly during firing, and the resultant density and superior heat retention recommends it for use with aromatic teas or those brewed with the hottest water, such as rolled oolongs or black teas.

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.