Pan Hu Qing Hui Duanni Gongfu Teapot | Yixing Zisha
潘壶 青灰段泥 功夫小品 | 宜兴紫砂
Artist: Li Qiang, ranked National Level Arts & Crafts Master
Clay: Duanni
Capacity: 130ml
Pour Time: 7s
Made in Dingshan, Yixing
This is Li Qiang's expression of a very traditional small-format shape, executed in a top-grade Qing Hui (Green-Gray) Duanni. The clay choice is stunning, imbuing this classic piece with a strong sense of old history.
Pan Hu gets its name from a Qing-era merchant and government envoy of the same name (Pan), who travelled frequently to Yixing to commission teapots for family use and official gifts. Being from Southern China, he preferred these smaller gongfu-style pots, which were often stamped with his family name -- hence the term "Pan Hu" became closely associated with this design.
Master Li Qiang is known for his superb technical expertise in clay handling and finishing, with particular expertise in various Duanni and Jiangponi, rougher clays that in lesser hands often look "rustic" and unfinished (wabi-sabi is not a character valued in traditional zisha collecting). His pieces, such as this one, are refined and worthy of a scholar's studio, in the traditional Chinese sense. The "skin" of the clay is lustrous and silken. Despite the small size and delicacy of the spout, the pour is quick and strong, thanks to the ball-style filter (which Master Li uses on almost all his creations for this reason).
CARE OF YOUR ZISHA
1. To clean your new teapot, first rinse well inside and out with lukewarm water. Then fill with hot water just off the boil, steep for 30s and pour out. Repeat the hot water rinse 2-3 times as needed.
2. Brew your favorite tea!
3. After the session, empty the spent leaf and rinse out well with hot water. Dry the exterior gently with a soft cloth if needed to remove any stains that remain.
4. Air dry in a well-ventilated area with the lid removed.
Other Tips:
- Never use detergent or any other cleaning agent on Zisha!
- Our Zisha is top quality; boiling with tea leaves (or tofu) before use is not needed.
- Your teapot will develop a patina through regular use and care. Avoid pouring tea over the exterior of the pot to hasten the process, this will quickly result in a “dirty” looking pot.
