Artisan Yixing Zisha Purple Clay Teapot Gold Sprinkled Han Tang Shi Piao

Shi Piao means “stone scoop” in Chinese. The name of Shi Piao is accredited to the most famed great master Gu Jing Zhou, who first named it “Shi Piao”, as an homage to the ancient Chinese poem, “Three thousand weak waters, only one scoop”. There are several versions of Shi Piao. This teapot is a version of the great master Xu Han Tang (徐汉棠). Master Xu's version is also based on the great master Gu Jing Zhou's version, but he made some changes to the teapot style that makes it more functional and to reflect a more humble character. Master Xu's version became popular in the 1990s, along with great master Gu's version.

This teapot is completely handcrafted by master Wu, a senior master sanctioned by the Chinese Arts and Crafts governing authority. This teapot has a bigger mouth, providing easier access for adding loose leaves. It also has a large wide bottom with three legs. The lid has an arched bridge on the top, with an ear shaped handle and curved upward spout completing the geometric aesthetics in perfect harmony. All parts come together as a whole and the teapot displys the dignified and steady look. 

The sprinkled gold is a traditional decorative technical that started in Song dynasty and made popular for the Qing dynasty emperor and royals. The master uses individual brush strokes applying gold powder to create design elements on the teapot. After that step is finished, the teapot is fired again to melt the gold so it sticks to the teapot. After firing, the surface of the gold is dull, so the master uses an agate pen to scratch the gold surface many times to bring out its luster. Though it is an extensive art work and labor intensive, the gold elements add a touch of elegance and luxury to the pot. A beautiful teapot indeed, though the pictures below don't do any good to its Justise. 

Name:  描金汉棠石瓢

Clay:   Authentic Zi Ni 原矿紫泥

Capacity:   280ml / 9.2 oz