Beautiful Woman's Shoulder Yixing Clay Teapot (美人肩宜兴金朱泥茶壶, Mei Ren Jian, "Beautiful Woman Shoulder Yixing Teapot") This clay is known as "Gold Crimson Clay", which seems like an oxymoron. It is so-named because it is gold in color but unlike the yellow-colored Duàn Ní "sectioned clay", it is a pure Yixing clay and it behaves more like crimson clay (Zhūní) than purple sand clay (Zǐshā) with respect to how it contracts when fired, its physical properties such as heat retention and acoustic qualities, and its effect on the tea.
Like other Yixing clays, it is porous and will absorb the flavor of tea steeped in it, developing a patina with use and in turn influencing the character of tea made in it. For this reason it is recommended that this pot be dedicated to a particular type of tea, so that the flavor of the pot isn't adulterated.
The Chinese name of this pot shape is Mei Ren Jian, where Mei Ren literally translates to "beautiful person" but is frequently used to mean "beautiful woman". This 125 ml pot has a soft, elegantly-curved profile, while the gently textured golden clay adds to the impression of the pot being like a beautiful shoulder. It is made in Chaozhou from Yixing clay at Xiao Zhu Xuan studio by master Chen Zhu.