《西施》~ 标准款, 嵌盖 "Xi Shi - Standard Silhouette” with Qian Gai interface, 175.1ml, Di Cao Qing Zi Ni 底槽青紫泥, by Craftsman Gu Xiao Ming 顾小明 ~ Congratulations!to Mr K.F.! 1153hrs 18th Dec 2025, Wethersfield! CO!
This is the superb Xi Shi shape embarked by our latest Craftsman Gu Xiao Ming for many of you dearest friends for the past two years!
☆☆ Appreciate Craftsman Gu's DILIGENCE. This Xi Shi of his, incorporates the more difficult-to-craft Qian Gai 嵌盖 lid-to-body interface construction. This Qian Gai interface here of this Xi Shi, is DIFFERENT from the Jie Gai 截盖.☆
The Qian Gai interface is the most difficult to craft interface construction, but Craftsman Gu did it because: IF DONE RIGHT + survive the firing successfully without deformation: this Qian Gai WILL give the most watertight interface (as the water has to move through TWO 90 degrees right angles before getting to leak out), and the most secure and SATISFYING, smile-inducing closure :-D
☆ ~ illustration with Craftsman Gu's series of delectable Qian Gai 嵌盖 Xi Shi's:
2. Craftsman Gu also conscientiously sculpted a 手推内球孔 Hand-Pushed Spherical Filter to increase the number of filter holes for a solid and fast pour of tea out and with better catching of tea leaves at the bottom fast while allowing tea to flow out from the upper holes. The Fraternity-recognised: Puffer Fish silhouette iteration of this Xi Shi spout, is also crafted here, which accommodates the more generous lumen/outflow, FURTHER accentuating and aiding the swiftness of pour.
3. Meanwhile even further, the base is sculpted intensely so that tea stains don't form easily due to the static pot in touch with the tea liquids on the tea table. Excellent form. Experience only gained through painstaking efforts through the years. 
Craftsman Gu Xiao Ming 顾小明 thanks you dearest friends for your grandest support to the honest and dedicated Craftsladies and Craftsmen left to fend the Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art.
Here with us in our happy family of true ZiSha connoisseurs, you witness 90-120 photos taken of EACH Fully-Handmade ZiSha work here.
Compare this to elsewhere: factory bosses of jigger-machining non-zisha pots contribute downstream to their retailers: 5-10 stock photos for each non-zisha pot model, used to sell a stock of 10, 20, 30 jigger-machined non-zisha pots per model. I.e. 5-10 photos to sell hundreds of one model.
We at RealZiSha, take 90-120 photos, fresh, of EACH, ONE, Fully-Handmade ZiSha work. Together with our sacrificial and hardworking Craftsmen and Artists committed to honest true Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art and Craft, we at RealZiSha go the eons' distance.
~~~
Explained, https://www.realzisha.com/blogs/news/actual-zisha-landscape-at-yixing , the Craftsman by selling his hard-worked ZiSha craft at $190-$240, $45-$65 goes to the cost of the craft, inclusive of the fees for the firing for the kiln operator (three times per pot), the packaging boxes, and between $32 to $52 for the clay (Zi Ni Di Cao Qing, Duan Ni and upwards) used per pot. Craftsman takes 3 days (fastest 2.5days) to craft a pot.
If he works 30 days a month without a single day of rest (no family time), he will craft 10-12 pots.
If he crafts for 25 days (five days of rest a month), his output will be 8-10 pots.
The success rate for Zi Ni (e.g. Di Cao Qing, Lao Zi Ni, Da Shui Tan etc) and Duan Ni (e.g. Jiang Po Ni, Qing Hui Duan, etc) is 70% on average. Some times the whole batch of 10 may fail. We have seen our Craftsmen suffer like this very often.
The success rate for Zhu Ni (e.g. Xiao Mei Yao Zhu Ni) pots is 60%, or 70% with most optimism and at the very, very best. Unfortunately.
All of us at RealZiSha of course, hope for one another, professional colleagues and all, that all the pots will survive firing at the kiln successfully.
[For ZiSha models/designs that are very challenging and more complicated to craft, the time taken to craft will be longer, and the failure rate will be higher as well. Zi Sha by its virtue, have the highest shrinkage rate of all ceramic clay. Zi Ni and Duan Ni thus have that 70% success rate, while Zhu Ni has even higher shrinkage rate and thus even lower success rate (the lowest of all ceramic clay.)]
Our Craftsmen are wholeheartedly committed to the cause of Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art and their strictness with their craft and dedication earn our respect. We give a big Thank You all of these Craftsmen, for they are saving what is our common precious tea culture: Tea + Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art and Craft. Your support is critical to their livelihood and the existence of this craft for all of the tea fraternity.
Thank you Friends!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Customer Reviews
I wanted to write a review for this Xi Shi after about a half year using it.
Firstly, let me mention again that the customer service at Real ZiSha is second to none. Ian is highly responsive to emails and will answer any questions you might have, and in the unlikely event of a shipping/customs issue, Ian and his associates will handle everything for you to make sure that your package gets to you safely.
Please order with confidence from Real ZiSha, they deliver an authentic product with world class customer service! I will be a customer of Real ZiSha for life!
--ONTO THE TEAPOT--
The Xi Shi is a classic austere shape for a reason - it is practically perfect. The shape of the pot is very simple, but any addition would detract from the pure artistry of functionality and practicality.
The lid sits flush with the body, with perfect execution of the Qian Gai 嵌盖 lid interface. It features a prominent and easy to hold lid knob, which your thumb naturally rests on while pouring tea. The handle fits my two fingers perfectly and coaxes your hand to smoothly turn the pot as you pour. The generously wide spout creates a perfectly laminar flow that pours quickly and smoothly, and cuts off decisively, making it a joy to empty. The round body nestles perfectly in your hand when held, which I love during the winter to warm up my hands while I brew tea. The lid opening and shape of this pot make it very easy to load and remove tea leaves. The hand sculpted ball filter inside is perfectly crafted and contributes to the fast pour and highly laminar flow of the spout.
Regarding the clay used, this is my third pot from Real ZiSha, and my first Zi Ni pot. The feel of the clay is smooth and supple, and can sometimes feel almost powdery when dry (but no material comes up on your fingers). The subtle wavy creasing due to clay shrinkage when firing can be observed and felt on this pot, adding a delightful tactile sensation.
One thing that surprised me about Zi Ni when I first observed it in person, is that yes, it is in fact purple! In many pictures, the impression of Di Cao Qing Zi Ni is that it is a warmer, slightly reddish brown color. However, in person, it really does have a feint purple glow! It definitely gives off a "cooler" glow and color profile than in the pictures. It truly is delightful to turn the pot around in your hands and observe how the lighting reflects off the pot and changes the color.
I purchased this pot to dedicate it for brewing Shu Pu Er tea. After about 6 months of use, the interior of the pot has developed a lovely earthy, yeasty scent of Shu Pu Er. It softens and mineralizes the tea in a pleasing way, and adds to the thick mouthfeel of Shu Pu Er tea.
The tea oils of the dark Shu Pu Er have started to seep into the surface of the pot, and the start of a beautiful patina is being formed on its exterior. The dark tea oil compliments the natural color of the Zi Ni perfectly, causing it to deepen in color and shine over time.
All in all, this is a perfect, highly practical companion to support you on your tea journey, serving 1-3 people. Eternal gratitude to craftsman Gu Xiao Ming 顾小明 for perfecting this highly practical austere shape for us to enjoy!
If you were to buy only one ZiSha pot to be your companion in tea for life, I would suggest a Xi Shi in Di Cao Qing Zi Ni!
Customer Reviews
I wanted to write a review for this Xi Shi after about a half year using it.
Firstly, let me mention again that the customer service at Real ZiSha is second to none. Ian is highly responsive to emails and will answer any questions you might have, and in the unlikely event of a shipping/customs issue, Ian and his associates will handle everything for you to make sure that your package gets to you safely.
Please order with confidence from Real ZiSha, they deliver an authentic product with world class customer service! I will be a customer of Real ZiSha for life!
--ONTO THE TEAPOT--
The Xi Shi is a classic austere shape for a reason - it is practically perfect. The shape of the pot is very simple, but any addition would detract from the pure artistry of functionality and practicality.
The lid sits flush with the body, with perfect execution of the Qian Gai 嵌盖 lid interface. It features a prominent and easy to hold lid knob, which your thumb naturally rests on while pouring tea. The handle fits my two fingers perfectly and coaxes your hand to smoothly turn the pot as you pour. The generously wide spout creates a perfectly laminar flow that pours quickly and smoothly, and cuts off decisively, making it a joy to empty. The round body nestles perfectly in your hand when held, which I love during the winter to warm up my hands while I brew tea. The lid opening and shape of this pot make it very easy to load and remove tea leaves. The hand sculpted ball filter inside is perfectly crafted and contributes to the fast pour and highly laminar flow of the spout.
Regarding the clay used, this is my third pot from Real ZiSha, and my first Zi Ni pot. The feel of the clay is smooth and supple, and can sometimes feel almost powdery when dry (but no material comes up on your fingers). The subtle wavy creasing due to clay shrinkage when firing can be observed and felt on this pot, adding a delightful tactile sensation.
One thing that surprised me about Zi Ni when I first observed it in person, is that yes, it is in fact purple! In many pictures, the impression of Di Cao Qing Zi Ni is that it is a warmer, slightly reddish brown color. However, in person, it really does have a feint purple glow! It definitely gives off a "cooler" glow and color profile than in the pictures. It truly is delightful to turn the pot around in your hands and observe how the lighting reflects off the pot and changes the color.
I purchased this pot to dedicate it for brewing Shu Pu Er tea. After about 6 months of use, the interior of the pot has developed a lovely earthy, yeasty scent of Shu Pu Er. It softens and mineralizes the tea in a pleasing way, and adds to the thick mouthfeel of Shu Pu Er tea.
The tea oils of the dark Shu Pu Er have started to seep into the surface of the pot, and the start of a beautiful patina is being formed on its exterior. The dark tea oil compliments the natural color of the Zi Ni perfectly, causing it to deepen in color and shine over time.
All in all, this is a perfect, highly practical companion to support you on your tea journey, serving 1-3 people. Eternal gratitude to craftsman Gu Xiao Ming 顾小明 for perfecting this highly practical austere shape for us to enjoy!
If you were to buy only one ZiSha pot to be your companion in tea for life, I would suggest a Xi Shi in Di Cao Qing Zi Ni!
