A handmade teapot made from pure Yixing clay of the Da Hong Pao Ju Ni variety. Crafted in Yixing by master Fan Xue Jun and his wife, master Jiang Hua Di. The clay for this teapot was mined as ore from the famous Yixing deposit Huang Long Shan back in the 1990s. Throughout all this time, it has been stored and matured in the personal reserves of the masters’ family.

Da Hong Pao is a type of Zhu Ni clay, which in turn belongs to the category of Hong Ni (red Yixing clays). Da Hong Pao differs from regular Zhu Ni by having a higher iron oxide content, giving it a deep red-terra cotta color. This clay also contains less aluminum oxide, making its firing extremely challenging due to significant shrinkage (volume reduction) of 25-40%. Therefore, only very experienced masters can work with pure Da Hong Pao Zhu Ni. This clay is very rare, accounting for less than 0.001% of total extraction. Currently, almost all the mines are either completely depleted or preserved by the state.

The Shui Ping shape (literally “Water Level” in Chinese) is a classic, versatile form that appeared in China during the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty (1636–1912) and reached peak popularity in the early period (1958–1977) of the 1st Yixing Factory. Convenient and well-balanced, it remains a favorite shape among many tea enthusiasts worldwide.

Da Hong Pao clay is the least porous among all Yixing clays, which allows it to gently mineralize water without suppressing flavor peaks. Therefore, teapots made from this clay are best suited for brewing the highest-quality teas. Like a precise professional instrument, such a teapot fully reveals the complex flavors and aromas of the tea, its essence and potential, while highlighting all possible flaws or strengths.

The teapot is new, so we strongly recommend preparing it before use. Wash it with warm water, then pour boiling water into it and drain after 1–2 minutes (repeat this 2–3 times). This will help remove any dust left from the firing process.

For proper care of the teapot, we recommend washing it with warm water (without using detergents) after each use and drying it thoroughly.