This is an attractively-shaped, low-profile Qinzhou Nixing teapot with a whimsically-carved scene featuring lotus plants and fish. The pot’s shape is brilliantly integrated into the design with its handle serving as a stem for one of the lotus pods. On both sides of the teapot the auspicious carp peek out from behind the leaves, giving the pot a playful feel. The design is continued from the body onto the lid, with elements such as the leaf veins and lotus blossoms lining up with one another.
The clay is a warm reddish-brown and is smoothly polished. With a functional capacity of 6 oz, this our largest capacity ceramic Chinese teapot. It weighs just over 8oz empty, but does not feel heavy in the hand.
This teapot comes wrapped in a protective silk-fabric pouch with a drawstring closure, and packaged in a presentation box. The pouch is perfect for storing the pot between uses to ward off scratches and dust. All photos are of the actual pot that is for sale (we only have one, so act quickly!).
Qinzhou Nixing pottery is produced in Qinzhou city in China’s Guangxi province. It, along with Yixing Zisha, Jianshui and Rongchand make up China’s four famous types of pottery. Nixing is made from a mixture of mineral rich clays collected from the east and west banks of the Qinjiang river in Qinzhou. It is a smooth and dense clay, with good elasticity, which allows potters to shape the clay into a variety of shapes. These properties also make it a great clay to carve with detailed designs. Nixing pieces are formed on a potter’s wheel and kiln fired. Finished Nixing pieces can vary in color from bronze to reddish brown and even purple. All color differences are the result of the clay composition, kiln effects and finish polishing/burnishing.
Qinzhou Nixing teapots are well-suited for steeping Pu-erh and other hei cha, black tea, and oolong teas. Since they do not retain heat as long as Yixing pots, they can also be used to steep a few of the more robust green teas as well. A Nixing teapot that is intended for use with green tea or a light oolong should probably not be used for other types of tea, as the retention of flavor from those teas will overpower the green tea’s fresh, light flavor.
Like Yixing teapots, Nixing clay teapots are porous and we recommend that they be cared for in a similar manner. Follow the steps 1-6 only, found in How to ‘Raise’ an Yixing Teapot, for instructions.
Please Note:
This is a handmade item – slight variations in the painting, colors, tooling, patterning and kiln effects of Chinese and Japanese tea wares are to be expected. We have carefully photographed this item as best as possible – please be aware that different device screens can render colors and subtle tones slightly differently.
Want to know more?
How to ‘Raise’ an Yixing Teapot
How We Determine the Size & Capacity of our Teawares