Description
 
Yixing Zisha Aged Purple Clay Peace in Elephant Teapot 
 
This teapot is fully handmade using zisha aged purple clay ( 老紫泥 ). The lid was made into an elephant with “nihui” style by moulding zisha clay to desired shape by hand before adding to the surface of the teapot and then hand-sculpting the artwork before firing.  Elephant in chinese word sounds like peace which is the hidden meaning of this teapot which the artist want to bring out. Each of the teapots from this series employs a higher level of craftsmanship & effort than what is commonly found and is reflected in the quality and details of the pots.
 
The aged purple mud is the purple clay of Huanglong Mountain. It was refining and aged since the 1980s, and its existence is limited. It is high fired at about 1180 degrees.  After firing, it is slightly purple and reddish inside , the color is mature and stable, dignified and solemn. After the raising,  there is a hint of imperial glaze in the simplicity which makes it one of the most popular clay type. It goes well with most teas including :Light Roasted Oolongs , Raw & Ripe Puerh, Black , White , Green Teas
 
This teapot holds approximately 225ml (+/- 5ml) and features a ball filter and tight-fitting lid. The walls of this teapot are relatively thin, but it allows for a very stable and comfortable hand feel that has to be experienced to fully appreciate. It also includes a certificate from the artist indicating the artist’s name, teapot shape and clay composition.
 
Zisha (‘purple sand’) describes the reddish-brown color of the sedimentary soil which settled in ancient lakes and is now buried deep underground. The clay is compressed under heavy sedimentary rock formations throughout the Yixing region, southwest of Shanghai, in China’s Jiangsu province. Huanglong Mountain near Dingshu township has been the source of high quality purple clay ore for centuries. The mountain itself is rather ordinary – neither grand or pretty – but it is 350 million years old.
These teapots are prized because their unglazed surfaces absorb traces of the beverage and develop a patina, which enhances the taste, color and aroma of fine tea.