Xishi Crimson Clay Teapot (西施宜興朱泥茶壺, Xīshī Yíxìng Zhūní Cháhú, "Xishi Yixing Crimson Clay Teapot") This pot by teapot artist Cheng Zhu is made of Yixing crimson clay. This highly-sought-after clay has a beneficial effect on the quality of tea steeped in it, and its porous nature causes it to absorb the flavor of the tea and develop a patina, improving with use. Due to this porous nature, it is recommended to dedicate Yixing tea pots to one particular kind of tea.
This ~115 ml teapot is a Xishi pot, one of the most famous tea pot forms. Modeled after the breasts of the Imperial Concubine Xishi, one of classical China's four renowned beauties, the round shape of the pot extends beyond its Freudian appeal because the highly-efficient shape allows for full expansion of leaves and convection of water. It is indeed one of the most classic teapot shapes and this gorgeous little pot is a beautiful expression of the Xishi form in rich crimson clay.
