Handmade Yixing Purple Clay Teapot 200ml - Xi Shi
- Capacity
- 200 ml
- Shape
- Xi Shi
- Made
- Fully handmade in Yixing, Jiangsu
- Best for
- Ripe & aged pu-erh
Not sure this is your pot? Take the 3-question Teapot Finder
- Teapot Style: "Xi Shi"
- Material: Aged Raw Ore Zini (Lao Zini)
- Vintage/Year: 2025 (Lunar Year of the Wood Snake)
- Artisan: Wu Lijun
- Origin: Yixing, Jiangsu Province, China
- Capacity: 200 ml
The "Xi Shi" Teapot: Timeless Elegance in Aged Purple Clay
The Legend of Xi Shi: Named after one of the legendary "Four Beauties" of ancient China, the Xi Shi shape is celebrated for its graceful, rounded body and minimalist design. It is perhaps the most beloved and essential silhouette for any serious tea collector.
Exquisite Aged Clay: This piece is handcrafted from Aged Raw Ore Zini (Lao Zi Ni). Having been weathered and aged naturally, this clay offers superior breathability and a warm, mellow texture. It is highly responsive to "seasoning" (nourishing the pot), developing a lustrous, mirror-like patina over time that reflects the care of its owner.
Heritage & Artistry: Hand-created in 2025 (the Year of the Wood Snake), each teapot bears the personal seal of artisan Wu Lijun, ensuring its authenticity and collectible value. A perfect blend of functional art and Zen aesthetics.
Tea Pairing for Zini
The fundamental principle of pairing lies in how the clay interacts with the tea's characteristics:
- Heat Management: Zini excels at maintaining high, steady temperatures, which is crucial for extracting the deep, complex flavors of fermented or roasted teas.
- Flavor Refinement: Its moderate porosity allows the clay to "breathe," subtly absorbing harsh or astringent notes while smoothing out the overall texture of the tea liquor.
- Aromatic Balance: While denser clays like Zhuni are used to highlight high floral notes, Zini is favored for its ability to ground a tea, emphasizing its body, sweetness, and earthy mineral depth.
Whether you are brewing a robust Ripe Pu-erh, a smoky Black Tea, or a complex Wuyi Rock Tea, a well-paired Zini teapot will "season" over time, developing a unique luster while consistently improving the quality of every cup.
Before first use: rinse the pot inside and out with water just off the boil, then brew two or three rounds of the tea you plan to keep in it.
Every day: rinse with hot water only. No soap, no dishwasher, no stove or microwave. Empty the leaves soon after brewing and let the pot dry with the lid off.
One pot, one tea: the unglazed clay slowly takes on the character of what you brew, so keep this pot for one style of pu-erh.
Match the clay to your tea and the size to the people at your table. Each pot is shaped by hand, so small differences from the photos in color, surface and proportion are normal.
Teapot Finder · Yixing teapot guide · Clay guide · Shapes guide
Free shipping on orders over $70 USD.
We ship from our warehouses in Canada and China to 100+ countries. Orders from our Canada warehouse are usually packed and shipped within 48 hours. Orders shipped from China need about one week of processing. Delivery time depends on the shipping method you choose at checkout.
Some countries charge import duties. These are paid by the buyer.
Unused items in their original packaging can be returned within 15 days. Sale items are final sale.
- Capacity
- 200 ml
- Shape
- Xi Shi
- Made
- Fully handmade in Yixing, Jiangsu
- Best for
- Ripe & aged pu-erh
Not sure this is your pot? Take the 3-question Teapot Finder
- Teapot Style: "Xi Shi"
- Material: Aged Raw Ore Zini (Lao Zini)
- Vintage/Year: 2025 (Lunar Year of the Wood Snake)
- Artisan: Wu Lijun
- Origin: Yixing, Jiangsu Province, China
- Capacity: 200 ml
The "Xi Shi" Teapot: Timeless Elegance in Aged Purple Clay
The Legend of Xi Shi: Named after one of the legendary "Four Beauties" of ancient China, the Xi Shi shape is celebrated for its graceful, rounded body and minimalist design. It is perhaps the most beloved and essential silhouette for any serious tea collector.
Exquisite Aged Clay: This piece is handcrafted from Aged Raw Ore Zini (Lao Zi Ni). Having been weathered and aged naturally, this clay offers superior breathability and a warm, mellow texture. It is highly responsive to "seasoning" (nourishing the pot), developing a lustrous, mirror-like patina over time that reflects the care of its owner.
Heritage & Artistry: Hand-created in 2025 (the Year of the Wood Snake), each teapot bears the personal seal of artisan Wu Lijun, ensuring its authenticity and collectible value. A perfect blend of functional art and Zen aesthetics.
Tea Pairing for Zini
The fundamental principle of pairing lies in how the clay interacts with the tea's characteristics:
- Heat Management: Zini excels at maintaining high, steady temperatures, which is crucial for extracting the deep, complex flavors of fermented or roasted teas.
- Flavor Refinement: Its moderate porosity allows the clay to "breathe," subtly absorbing harsh or astringent notes while smoothing out the overall texture of the tea liquor.
- Aromatic Balance: While denser clays like Zhuni are used to highlight high floral notes, Zini is favored for its ability to ground a tea, emphasizing its body, sweetness, and earthy mineral depth.
Whether you are brewing a robust Ripe Pu-erh, a smoky Black Tea, or a complex Wuyi Rock Tea, a well-paired Zini teapot will "season" over time, developing a unique luster while consistently improving the quality of every cup.
Before first use: rinse the pot inside and out with water just off the boil, then brew two or three rounds of the tea you plan to keep in it.
Every day: rinse with hot water only. No soap, no dishwasher, no stove or microwave. Empty the leaves soon after brewing and let the pot dry with the lid off.
One pot, one tea: the unglazed clay slowly takes on the character of what you brew, so keep this pot for one style of pu-erh.
Match the clay to your tea and the size to the people at your table. Each pot is shaped by hand, so small differences from the photos in color, surface and proportion are normal.
Teapot Finder · Yixing teapot guide · Clay guide · Shapes guide
Free shipping on orders over $70 USD.
We ship from our warehouses in Canada and China to 100+ countries. Orders from our Canada warehouse are usually packed and shipped within 48 hours. Orders shipped from China need about one week of processing. Delivery time depends on the shipping method you choose at checkout.
Some countries charge import duties. These are paid by the buyer.
Unused items in their original packaging can be returned within 15 days. Sale items are final sale.
Creator reviews
Be the first creator to review this tea
Make a video, blog post or social post about this tea. Our favourite reviews are featured right here on the product page, with your name and a link to your channel.
- Free tea samples
- Your review featured here, with credit
- A personal discount code to share
Handmade Yixing Purple Clay Teapot 200ml - Xi Shi