《景舟石瓢》Jing Zhou Shi Piao, *!铁砂朱泥!* , 197.9ml, by Craftsman Zhang Gui Ming 张桂明 ~!CONGRATULATIONS!!TO MR A.A.! 1013hrs 11th November 2026, Port Franks! Canada🇨🇦!
Tie Sha Zhu Ni is finally back and after all the intense preparations happening for the past eight months after Chinese New Year 2026, we unveil our new colleague Zhang Gui Ming! Hereby presented to you, proudly at our showcase at YiXing!
Tie Sha Zhu Ni 铁砂朱泥 translates directly and vividly as,
"Iron 铁 Sand 砂 Zhu Ni 朱泥", and it is EXACTLY that:
Zhu Ni with a flurry of visible black Fe3O4 dots, VIVIDLY with its easily and comfortably appreciated numerous Iron Deposits!
This is its star and inimitable characteristic: a ZhuNi rich in both Fe2O3 (accounting for the redness) and Fe3O4 (the black dots aka Tie Rong Dian 铁熔点 when they appear on the surface).
It is unfortunately, an extremely difficult and opportunity-cost~risky Zhu Ni clay to work with.
SO much so that only one family in YiXing headed by Craftsman Zhu Jie 朱杰 and his wife, know how to craft and fire it PERFECTLY.
We have previously only availed three pieces of Tie Sha Zhu Ni over the past three years, because it, is just that: too difficult to craft and fire. And in between TSZN Maestro Zhu Jie has been busy with the commissioned works.
Tie Sha Zhu Ni with its peculiarities have eluded many a Craftsman and Artist, and we must leave it to Zhu Jie, the expert, to craft and fire them! (however even he won't be able to come up with any high degree of success, typically 10%.)
The right consistency with moisture during clay preparation, how to maintain moisture during crafting, allowing malleability and formability throughout the three to five days of crafting and also the days while waiting for the flame firing kiln to start, firing it such that the most beautiful reddish vermillion colour comes through, TOGETHER with the perfect presentation of all the NUMEROUS black Iron Dots!! If it is not fired precisely, with its sequence and temperatures, it may crack open or does not show its correct colour, or the typical ZiSha black Fe3O4 iron deposits will appear ugly with drippy looks on the surface. The iron dots must show up and also neatly in place. How to get ALL the desired colour, texture and appearance correct, is the expertise of Zhu Jie and his family.
Tie Sha Zhu Ni 铁砂朱泥 is a Yuan Kuang 原矿 type of Zhu Ni, i.e. unadulterated and original ZhuNi type.
It is not a type of mixed clay. It is an unadulterated Zhu Ni material PICKED AT SITE.
Also note that we are talking about Tie Sha Zhu Ni, not Tie Sha Ni (which is not favoured at all in our fraternity because it is loaded with impurities discovered at site).
Kindly, read on. Thank you dearest Friends! :-D
Since the advent of the steps of translating ZiSha ore-->clay, accompanied by crafting that started in the Ming dynasty carrying onto the Qing, through the Republic era to our current Socialist country, ZiSha crafting entail the working with Zi Ni, Duan Ni, Lü Ni and Hong Ni.
Of the Hong Ni 红泥 types, we are familiar with the two types of ZiSha HongNi 紫砂红泥: 1) Da Hong Ni 大红泥 (Yuan Kuang Da Hong Pao 原矿大红袍) and 2) Xiao Hong Ni 小红泥, and several types of Zhu Ni 朱泥: 3) Ben Shan Zhu Ni 本山朱泥, 4) Zhu Sha 朱砂, 5) Xiao Mei Yao Zhu Ni 小煤窑朱泥, 6) Zhao Zhuang Zhu Ni 赵庄朱泥 and 7) Zhu Ni Da Hong Pao 朱泥大红袍。
1) Ore Miners and Ore pickers at Huang Long Shan site in YiXing picking BenShan ZhuNi will know to pick for BenShan ZhuNi, and recognise ore that has high IRON content which will not qualify as BenShan ZhuNi but is the special Tie Sha Zhu Ni.
2) Tie Sha Zhu Ni has higher iron content than all the above 7 HongNi types.
For Tie Sha Zhu Ni, currently only one family of Artisans in YiXing we can still trace and work with, is the family headed by Zhu Jie.
Zhu Jie and his wife, will specially AND purposely and precisely select such TieSha ZhuNi ores with HIGH IRON content.
Tie Sha Zhu Ni is notorious, for being extremely DIFFICULT to work with.
Such high iron content clay makes it very it tricky and almost impossible to work with.
Tie Sha Zhu Ni is highly difficult to be formed up to a ZiSha piece,
not least formed up into a cleanly surfaced and cleanly edged piece, a cohesive piece, and,
even less so: A BEAUTIFUL PIECE!!!
These are the reasons why it is so difficult to have a perfect read-made piece from him and his wife.
The chances of a successfully fired, and beautiful Fully-Handmade Tie Sha Zhu Ni piece is extremely low, and our commissioning patrons have to be very patient. Usually only 1 piece out of eight to ten attempts (sadly 12%) Hence the $695 to FULLY remunerate him for his hard work and dedication for a month of crafting eight to ten pieces. Commissioning, just like commissioning any Artist, requires an additional three weeks to plan: draw, determine measurements, make a 3D model with wood as a visual reference to be placed in front during patting and crafting the actual piece from ZiSha clay, getting ready all the tools required, making test trial pieces. Commissioning a bespoke Austere piece would hence be $1950 for all the added opportune time, draughtsman-like work, learning, tool making.
Zhu Jie’s ready stock pieces are hence highly cherished by us, every ready piece or commissioned piece that comes off to the patron.
朱杰 Zhu Jie is the Craftsman whom we trust with Fully-Handmaking with Tie Sha Zhu Ni, to manifest all the desired traits of Tie Sha Zhu Ni plus the palpable aura of Fully-Handmade works, and the characteristic fluffy inner wall 内壁泥门疏松 to augment the star quality of ZiSha we all hold so dear: porosity. Fully-Handmaking is a Craft dear to us Chinese Art fraternity ~ our National Arts have also formed a specialised Department of The Arts for ZiSha Arts and Craft. It is a skill and PROFESSION. The years of dedication, apprenticeship, learning and practicing: a must. The crafting of various types and designs of pots requiring very different approaches to the body, the different approachs and understanding of the construction behind the seemingly simple facades and surfacing, dexterity of fingers and the muscle training and memory, require many years of constant crafting to get all the hundred over steps correct. All in a dedicated lifetime.
Fully-Handmaking is an onerous journey requiring a lifetime of learning and practice.
Our Cao Family trusts Zhu Jie fully, and had worked with him for two decades. However, as his eyesight is not perfect anymore (mild AMD of both eyes), he will be handling stewardship to his Successor, Zhang Gui Ming his nephew who had diligently learnt a full seventeen years under him and his wife! Zhang Gui Ming will be carrying on the torch for Tie Sha Zhu Ni masterpieces!
WE proudly present Craftsman Zhang Gui Ming 张桂明!
Here is Brother Yi-Lei with him at Jing Tang She 镜塘社 our showcase in YiXing today 9th November 2026.
The first three ready-made pieces are here! The Xi Shi 西施, the Jing Zhou Shi Piao 景舟石瓢 and the Yi Li Zhu 一粒珠!
Subsequently, one ready stock piece will come through every six seeks, unless interrupted by our commissioning Chinese or overseas patrons.
One precious successful piece at $690 or upwards depending on design and difficulty.
Tie Sha Zhu Ni 铁砂朱泥 works are used by us because they steep and brew superbly the Oolong teas, High Fragrance tea types, White Teas, Green Teas and Hongcha. Enjoy the exclusive and exquisite taste of your teas with your prized, difficult to procure, and highly cherished Tie Sha Zhu Ni work.
Maestro we call him, Maestro Zhang Gui Ming is exclusively presented to you here at RealZiSha, brought about by our Cao Family's tentacular reach to all corners in YiXing. When you come by YiXing, Maestro Zhang will be very keen to show you his craft and you can see him in action crafting at his bench!!!
