Zisha teapot Lian Yi, handmade by artist Level 3, YANG Fei 杨菲（L3-2021）大水潭紫泥 紫砂壶 “莲意”

🫖 Lian Yi
Clay: Dashuitan purple clay (Zi Ni)
Volume:360cc

Teapot shape:

Both the shape and decoration of this teapot are extremely in line with the lotus flower, presenting an interesting and vivid scene of the lotus pond that is unforgettable to behold. The bottom of the teapot is stable and steady, with rounded and delicate lines on the upper part. There is a vein pattern decoration around the bottom of the teapot, like a blooming lotus. The teapot knob is in an arch bridge shape, flowing into the spout. The teapot handle is shaped like a stem, slender and graceful.

The body of the teapot is slightly carved with lines from Su Shi's "Nian Nu Jiao: Memories of Red Cliff" from the Song Dynasty:

"The mighty river flows east, washing away the heroes of a thousand generations. West of the old fortress, Three Kingdoms' Zhou Yu fought at Red Cliff. Broken rocks pierce the sky, and waves crash upon the shore, rolling up a thousand piles of snow. This land is like a painting, with countless heroes of old. Thinking back to the year of Gongjin, when Xiaoqiao was first married, he was full of vigor and spirit. With a feather fan and silk cap, chatting and laughing, the sails and oars disappeared in a puff of smoke. Lost in thought, I wander in this magical land, with my passionate spirit, my white hair has already grown. Life is like a dream, I raise my cup and offer a toast to the moon on the river."

Clay:

Dashuitan purple clay, is produced in the same mine layer as the Tianqing clay.

Many products marketed as "Tianqing clay" often confuse customers by using Dashuitan purple clay instead. The Dashuitan purple clay ore has a dark purple-red appearance, a dense block shape, and is as hard as stone. It contains a small number of white mica fragments and has light red spots and a white waxy texture on the ore. The mature clay is relatively plastic and slightly crisp when formed, with a sandy texture during production, and has a wide firing temperature range. It is generally fired at around 1190-1230℃, with a shrinkage rate of about 5%. After firing, it has a purplish-red color, a relatively firm texture, a rough pear skin-like appearance, and a fine and smooth color.

Artist:

Yang Fei, National Master of Arts and Crafts, level 3 (awarded 9 Dec 2021) 

Born in 1990 in Dingshu Town, Yixing City, she is reserved in speech but agile in action, and has been dedicated to the art of teapot making for more than ten years.

She studied under Senior Master of Arts and Crafts (level 2), Gu Shunfang, and under her mentorship, her skills have improved and her personal style has emerged. Her works are characterized by simple and concise lines, a simple and dignified shape, profound charm, and an emphasis on using changes in lines to express the beauty of the teapot.