Qin Quan Yixing Teapot

This sturdy and compact Yixing embellishes its simple base with touching aesthetic flares. The oblong body is made to resemble the lumpen shape of the ancient scale weights used for centuries in common commerce, hung from a scale by a loop on top, which the lid handle now replicates. The style is therefore named 'Qin weight' in honor of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, who standardized units of weight and measure in the fledgeling empire. The simple form has been complemented in the spout, abbreviated and straight for a direct pour, while a flourish on the handle both adds character and serves as a finger-rest. It's an altogether charming rendering of the venerable style.

The clay

Made of the lustrous and dense zhuni (朱泥) from the mine of Zhaozhuang (赵庄), a source of the material since the Ming Dynasty. Its density and superior heat retention recommends it for use with aromatic teas or those brewed with the hottest water, such as rolled oolongs or black teas.

Why do I need a Yixing teapot?

The material and the shape of Yixing teapots are ideal for brewing tea. They bring out the tea flavor like no other tea vessel. Hand-made Yixing teapots are also valuable handicrafts sought after by collectors. Their value raises with time, usage and artist popularity.

Yixing teapots are made of a rare and depleting clay mined in the mountains near Yixing, a city in the Jiangsu province. The high density yet porous nature of the clay absorbs the smell of the tea brewed in it. For this reason, it is advised to use the pot with only one kind of tea (for instance with black teas or green teas). Bring your tea to the next level; allow yourself an authentic Yixing teapot.