Engraved Three-Foot Teapot · Cicada Verse
咏蝉诗耳把三足壶 · 定一刻绘
$238
Engraved Ti Liang Teapot · Narcissus & Rock
水仙奇石提梁壶 · 仲壶定一合作
$238
/ ¥1,680
| Weight | 280 g |
| Capacity | 300 cc |
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A collaborative masterwork by Huang Song (Zhonghu) and his chief disciple Ding Yi — lush narcissus flowers flourish beside Taihu stones on the body. A rare full-circle collaborative engraved Ti Liang teapot.
Master Grade · Ships with certificate of authenticity.
About This Teapot
This Ti Liang (overhead-handle) teapot is a collaborative painting and engraving work by Huang Song (Zhonghu) and his chief disciple Ding Yi. The body is carved with lush narcissus flowers flourishing beside Taihu stones — a scene brimming with vitality.
Body inscription: "仲壶画奇石也" (Zhonghu painted the strange rocks).
Lid inscription: "可得神仙 象庐定一作水仙也" (May you attain immortality — Xianglu Ding Yi carved the narcissus).
This is a top-tier piece — a rare collaborative engraved Ti Liang teapot where painting and carving flow seamlessly around the entire form.
Base inscription: "罗袜凌波洛浦仙。谪来潭府话夤缘。应嫌曲水香尘浼，诞降兰亭禊事前" — a poem invoking the Goddess of the Luo River, conveying wishes for longevity and a blessed life, drawing on classical allusions to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering and the Queen Mother's peaches of immortality.
Zisha Clay — 紫砂泥
Our teapots are made exclusively from ore mined at the Huanglongshan deposit in Yixing, Jiangsu Province — the world's only known source of authentic Zisha clay. The ore is crushed, sieved, and aged naturally for at least one year before being worked by hand.
- Purple Clay (Zini 紫泥): The most classic variety — dark reddish-brown with a fine texture. High iron content promotes even heat distribution and a patina that deepens with use.
- Red Clay (Hongni 红泥): A lighter, more porous clay that fires to warm terracotta tones. Particularly suited to lighter oolongs and white teas.
- Beige Clay (Duanni 缎泥): A mixed mineral clay that fires to pale buff or yellow. Its lower density enhances aromatic clarity, ideal for aged puerh and high-fired oolongs.
No colorants, chemicals, or blending clays are ever used. What you see is pure Zisha.
Collaborative Craftsmanship
This piece represents a full collaborative engraving — a rare format where two master artisans work in sequence on the same vessel:
- Potter & painter — Huang Song (仲壶): Shapes the Ti Liang form and composes the narcissus-and-rock landscape on the body.
- Engraver — Ding Yi (定一): Carves the lid narcissus motif and executes the base longevity poem in classical calligraphic style.
- Ti Liang form: The overhead handle arches over the lid — one of the most demanding Zisha forms, requiring perfect balance between handle, body, and spout.
- Full-circle engraving: Motifs and inscriptions wrap continuously around the body, lid, and base — a hallmark of master-grade collaborative work.
Caring for Your Zisha Teapot
A well-cared-for Zisha teapot improves with every use — developing a patina called 包浆 (bāo jiāng) that deepens flavour and enriches the clay's lustre over years of tea ceremony.
- First use (开壶): Simmer the teapot gently in plain water for 30 minutes to open the pores, then brew two or three pots of the tea you intend to dedicate it to — one tea type per pot is the traditional practice.
- Daily cleaning: Rinse with hot water only. Never use soap, detergent, or dishwasher — chemicals will block the micro-pores and damage the patina irreversibly.
- Drying: After use, remove the lid and allow both pot and lid to air-dry completely before storage.
- Polishing: After pouring tea over the exterior, gently buff with a clean soft cloth (茶巾) while still warm to build the patina.
- Storage: Store uncovered in a dry, ventilated place away from strong odours. Avoid plastic bags or airtight containers.
- Handling: Zisha is robust but brittle — avoid thermal shock (cold water into a hot pot) and dropping.