This remarkable Qin Quan teapot, handmade with fine yixing purple clay (Zi Ni – 紫泥) and decorated with black clay (Hei Ni – 黑泥), features a bold design crafted with fine materials.
Qin Quan yixing teapot is made using two kinds of clay – purple clay and black clay. The teapot master used Hei Ni to decorate the outer part of the teapot, as this clay type is quite rare nowadays. This Qin Quan features an exquisite pattern called Taotie. Taotie is the name of a legendary ferocious animal, the fifth son of the Dragon King. The Taotie pattern is an artistic expression of the master's concept for the teapot. The prominent lines of this Qin Quan teapot match well with the vivid, eye-catching lines of the pattern in a bold design, representing righteousness and majestic power.
Qin Quan (秦权) means "the right of Qin", or "the power of Qin". The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, unified China's weights and measures. From this moment, it was Qin's measures that prevailed. That's how the teapot got its name.
The master used a Fen Jiang (粉浆) decorative technique to shape this teapot. Fen Jiang uses fired clay, which is dried thoroughly and ground into powder. He then mixes it with a fixed proportion of water and paints the outside (or inside) of the teapot. The technique goes by the name "using clay to decorate clay" or "decorating clay with clay" (以泥饰泥). Fen Jiang craft creates an outstanding visual impression and a striking layering effect.
Purple clay (Zi Ni) is a type of Zisha (Zi Sha – 紫砂), arguably the clay with the best qualities to make teapots. Its origin dates back to the Northern Song dynasty. During the Ming dynasty, it already acquired the reputation of a material with the highest quality for teapots. Its excellent porosity and heat preservation help maintain the temperature of the water and produce a tea soup with excellent taste and aroma. Our Qin Quan teapot is a perfect tool for brewing highly aromatic teas like Wulong and Black teas. The fine structure of the raw material reveals the higher, more delicate aroma notes. Its slightly conic shape helps concentrate the aroma for a full-bodied experience.
Hei Ni is a natural type of clay with high iron content. After firing, it turns black. This clay is very hard and thick, so it isn't easy to make entire teapots out of it. Today, the teapot masters usually use it for outer decoration.
The master of this Qin Quan teapot is Yang Kui. He has made Yixing teapots for about 7 years and specializes in fully handmade teaware. Rather than simply imitating the tradition, he studies in depth its cultural connotation, thoroughly understanding the artistic concept of Zi Sha.
• Capacity: 180ml
• Speed of pour: 16 ml/sec (since each teapot is individually crafted, the pouring speed may vary)
• Filter: ball filter, 7 holes
• Material:
Interior: ZiNi (Yixing Clay, ZiSha) – 紫泥
Exterior: HeiNi (Yixing Clay, ZiSha) – 黑泥
• Shape: Qin Quan ("The Right of Qin") – 秦权
NOTE: This teapot is handmade. It makes each piece unique and one of a kind. Thus the teapot that you will receive may slightly differ from the one in the photos.
NOTE: Avoid using detergents when cleaning.