Ju Rui JIANGPONI Teapot | Yixing Zisha
菊蕊 - 降破泥 | 宜兴紫砂
Artist: Shi Wen Jie, National Master of Arts and Crafts
Clay: Jiang Po Ni
Capacity: 165ml
Pour Time: 8s
Made in Dingshan, Yixing
Unique Lot Numbers: 5023-2, 5023-3, 5023-4
A fully handmade piece by Master Shi Wen Jie, in top tier Jiangponi clay.
菊蕊 Ju Rui translates to "Chrysanthemum Stamens", a fanciful name for this whimsical and pretty floral design. This is Master Shi's own creative interpretation of a very classic shape that is strongly preferred by many tea practitioners for its stability (low stance), ease of use (wide mouth) and excellent steeping results even with large-leaved teas (broad body). The pour is strong and quick.
Master Shi's craft is once again impressive -- notice the organic curvature of the spout along its length, which gives a sense of "life" but in fact extremely hard to achieve in good proportion and form, requiring great experience from the artist. The lid is wonderfully adorned with petals, all done meticulously by hand (floral decorations are one of Master Shi's specializations), crowned by an organic floral lid knob which reminds one of the name of this piece.
The proportion and balance on this piece is outstanding, not an easy feat with these extremely flat and broad designs, which often look heavy or lifeless. It sits with poise and grace, stable and assured but as if ready for motion. The interior boasts a "pushed-in" style filter (内推孔), which although much more difficult to execute, ensures a smooth and even pour.
ABOUT THE CLAY
This Jiangponi clay is some of the finest we have had the pleasure of working with / commissioning. It is a beautiful, fairly deep shade of red which is a very sought after ore composition (most regular grade Jiangponi is a paler orange in color). The dispersion of colored granules within the clay is also top tier (see close up pictures of base and lid). These characteristics make this extremely sought after and a highly expensive clay to craft with, but the results are stunning. The porosity and breathability is top notch, which will yield fantastic results when brewing high-grade tea over its lifetime, developing a treasured patina.
