The Xi Shi teapot is one of the top ten classic purple clay teapots. The plump, round, small and perfect shape of the teapot is something you will never tire of. Don’t underestimate the difficulty of making this classic teapot. Even craftsmen admit that the Xishi teapot is difficult to make. What exactly is the difficulty? Let’s learn how to make a Xi Tzu pot!
The origin of the Xi Shi Pot
The inspiration for making the Xi Shi teapot comes from the breasts of the ancient beauty Xi Shi. Its round and plump shape gives people a sense of perfect harmony. Its simple and elegant appearance also attracts many pot lovers, especially women, to collect and use it. The short spout, inverted handle, and truncated lid are all the characteristics of a Xishi teapot. A high-quality Xishi teapot not only pays attention to the curvature of the body, but also pays attention to the proportion and balance. The fineness of the workmanship of the accessories definitely affects the quality of the teapot. Therefore, sometimes in order to reduce the difficulty of production, craftsmen choose The Xi Tzu teapot is made using a semi-manual method.
What's the difficulty in making a Xi Tzu pot?
#1: Keep the curvature of the pot body consistent
All round pot models have to face this problem. The craftsman must first beat the clay pieces into a uniform shape, then wrap them around the barrel, and then use tools to gradually beat them into a round shape. If the arc of the pot is not found to be out of round when making the pot, it will affect the appearance of the finished product after firing and lose the round and full feeling. Even if the craftsmen use molds to assist in shaping, they still need to beat the pot body until it matches the curvature and size of the mold, then put it into the mold and finish the pot body. This also requires the craftsmen to have certain pot-making skills. Therefore, no matter whether it is a fully handmade or semi-handmade Xishi pot, the arc shape of the pot body is a major difficulty in the production process.
#2: The lid and body should be tight
The difficulty in making a cut-off lid lies in whether the lid matches the pot body. The finely crafted lid can be perfectly transitioned to the body of the pot. The size is consistent with the mouth of the pot, and it is not easy to shake when the lid is pressed. Making the truncated lid is a great test of the craftsman's pot-making skills. In addition to controlling the shrinkage ratio of the clay, the curvature of the lid must also be considered. In addition, some craftsmen will make a "double-layer lid" cut-off lid. This is mostly a characteristic of a fully handmade Xi Shi pot, and the difficulty will be higher.
#3: Proper proportion of spout and handle
Xishi pots attach great importance to the proportion of the spout and handle. Accessories that are too large or too small will make the proportions of the pot uncoordinated and affect the appearance of the pot. Xishi pots have strict requirements for the position of the spout and the spout. The bonded accessories must be distributed in a straight line at three points and one line. If the craftsman is not careful when attaching the accessories, the pot will have a crooked handle and a crooked spout. This is sometimes the case. What happened. Therefore, handmade Xi Tzu is a great test of the craftsman's care and patience.
Fully handmade vs semi-handmade Xi Tzu
The biggest difference between fully handmade pots and semi-handmade pots lies in the traces of handwork and the charm of handicrafts displayed on the pots. It is more difficult to make a full-hand Xi Tzu, so it is reasonable that it is slightly more expensive than a half-hand Xi Tzu. If you like the handmade feel and don't care about perfect proportions and curvature, you can consider a fully handmade pot. If you are a pot lover who values perfection and if the accessories are too big or too small, you may find them an eyesore. You may want to consider a half-hand Xishi pot, which is more perfect than a hand-made pot. Despite this, the pots made by the two methods will not affect the tea brewing effect.
The above are the key points of making a Xishi teapot. The purple clay teapot is not only a tea set, but also a work of art carefully crafted by craftsmen. Whether it is a gift or for personal use, remember to understand your preferences so that you can buy the right pot!
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