{"product_id":"汉棠石瓢-173-7ml-tai-xi-lao-zi-ni-台西矿老紫泥-by-craftsman-gu-xiao-ming-顾小明","title":"汉棠石瓢, 173.7ml, Tai Xi Lao Zi Ni 台西矿老紫泥, by Craftsman Gu Xiao Ming 顾小明。","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.realzisha.com\/pages\/fully-handmade-zisha-art-and-craft-and-tea-pairings\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehttps:\/\/www.realzisha.com\/pages\/fully-handmade-zisha-art-and-craft-and-tea-pairings\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHan Tang Shi Piao 汉棠石瓢\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eOur Cao Family provides our precious Tai Xi Lao Zi Ni for Stalwart Gu Xiao Ming to craft this understated Han Tang Shi Piao!  Tai Xi Quarry, just like Bao Shan Quarry, 4th Quarry and Da Shui Tan Quarry, is part of our beloved Huang Long Shan.  Here we fired it 1190degC (rather high temperature) to exude and manifest its characteristic colour, darker-toned purplish-brown-red and we see the multiple minute black iron particles.  We thank Gu Xiao Ming for rising to the occasion and being entrusted and tasked by all of us here Craftsmen to craft this mid-volume Han Tang Shi Piao.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/20260810_063145.jpg?v=1786314813\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/20260810_062916_97f038e6-48c2-42eb-839a-76d14e5b9991.jpg?v=1786314812\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(2, 17, 151); text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eThe archetypal and beautiful top Classic Han Tang Shi Piao 汉棠石瓢, is created by National Grand Master of The Arts: 徐汉棠 Xu Han Tang.\u003c\/span\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(136, 1, 1); text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eThis is one of his proudest moments, and proudest creation.\u003c\/span\u003e  It gained its status as a vital Shi Piao shape in our YiXing ZiSha fraternity, firmly established as a core Shi Piao model: having the double-bend Swan-necked spout, its lid being of the brilliant 截盖 Jie Gai built : the \"Sectioned\" Lid build, demanding for its ask of the Craftsman to paddle-pat the clay slab to the exact curve and then subjecting it to firing and yet yielding a smooth silhouette from lid to body! oh-so satisfying to behold the end result and to pour the hot water over the lid, and watching the water trickle with a one-gentle concave step on the shoulder line before slipping fast down the lower half of the body.  Combining four strong adjectives altogether in its reverence as a core Shi Piao shape: Understated yet Edgy, Oriental and Everlasting.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 61, 17);\"\u003eHere Craftsman Gu beautifully captured the beautiful form that is the \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eHan Tang Shi Piao 汉堂石瓢\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e beautifully captured and crafted by Craftsman Gu Xiao Ming!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCraftsman Gu Xiao Ming 顾小明 thanks you dearest friends for your grandest support to the honest and dedicated Craftsmen left to fend the Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art.  \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy his diligence, excellent handwork with this Han Tang Shi Piao and let his work accompany you on your tea journey!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAs with Craftsmen, many want to join us, but we have always done thorough checks on all of them prior to them joining us:\u003cbr\u003e1) Craftsmanship,\u003cbr\u003e2) Affordability\u003cbr\u003e3) Dedication to the cause, Mission.\u003cbr\u003eThere are Craftsmen who can come up with the same level of Craftsmanship of our Craftsmen, but the prices of the former are higher.  There are also Craftsmen who can provide the same prices, but their craftsmanship is simply below par, not something we want to own a LIFETIME.  BEYOND THE LEVEL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP AND THE PRICE,\u003cbr\u003eWe also CHECK BEHIND AND AROUND each of these craftsmen looking to join us.\u003cbr\u003eWe check:\u003cbr\u003e~ their reputation,\u003cbr\u003e~ years of dedication,\u003cbr\u003e~ their backstories,\u003cbr\u003e~ their HONESTY TO CUSTOMERS.\u003cbr\u003eTherefore, we our happy team at RealZiSha, will gather the best for all of you!  We are working hard behind the scenes daily in YiXing!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e~~~~~~~~\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eBRING ONE HOME, USE IT and you will know\u003c\/span\u003e all about Fully-Handmade ZiSha, the feel of real and quality YiXing ZiSha, the nurturing of Patina, how the true Patina feels and looks like, the Aura exuded from a Fully-Handmade Pot which others simply can't bring forth, and, Craftsman Gu Xiao Ming's skills, savour the pour.  \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou will know everything then.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e~~~~~~~~~~\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eHere with us in our happy family of true ZiSha connoisseurs and friends, you witness 90-120 photos taken of EACH Fully-Handmade ZiSha work here.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCompare this to elsewhere: factory bosses of jigger-machined 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eWe at RealZiSha, take 90-120 photos, fresh, of EACH, ONE, Fully-Handmade ZiSha work.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eTogether with our sacrificial and hardworking Craftsmen and Artists committed to honest true Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art and Craft, we at RealZiSha go the aeons' distance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 27, 174);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eExplained, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.realzisha.com\/blogs\/news\/actual-zisha-landscape-at-yixing\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ehttps:\/\/www.realzisha.com\/blogs\/news\/actual-zisha-landscape-at-yixing\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 27, 174);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e, 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.\u003c\/span\u003e   \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e1) MORE difficult-to-craft shapes and models, 2) clay types we have that are more costly and rare, or 3) clay types that are inherently more difficult to craft with and\/or to fire successfully, would cost the Craftsmen more to complete for you and hence they have to avail them to you at above $240.  A hardworking \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eCraftsman takes 3 days (fastest 2.5days) to craft a pot.  \u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 27, 174);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf he works 30 days a month without a single day of rest (no family time), he will craft 10-12 pots.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eIf he crafts for 25 days (five days of rest a month), his output will be 8-10 pots.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 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.\u003cbr\u003eThe 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eAll 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e[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.)]\u003cbr\u003eOur Craftsmen are wholeheartedly committed to the cause of Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art and their strictness with their craft and dedication earn our respect.  \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eWe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eThank you Friends!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHere again, another\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etremendous\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003elabor of love\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby our trusted and committed \u003c\/strong\u003eThe lines and detailing speak of Craftsman Gu Xiao Ming's EXTREME CARE AND TIME taken to craft each part, each pot.  \u003cstrong\u003eHold one, hold up one, swing the work around.  Carefully examine his Fully-Handmade work.  Look at it from afar, from near, and it will grow on you, with fine detailing with MUCH THOUGHT on each part, with MUCH TIME spent on every part, section.  Because this is what Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art should be, and HOW FULLY-HANDMADE ZISHA ART is so different from and light years ahead of the ubiquitous jigger-machined pots and half-handmade pots masquerading under the sales tagline of \"fully-handmade zisha\" pots.\u003c\/strong\u003e  These latter JM\/HHM pots are made in what we call 流水线 a.k.a. 'Factory-Line operation' whereby the main pot body after being jigger-machined or coming off from the mould, is passed to the next worker who fits on the spout, and subsequently this second worker will pass the pot on to another worker who will in turn fit on the handle.  Continuing so, the pressed lid is likewise passed to another worker who fit on the lid knob.  \u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEACH WORKER has NO IDEA what the other one is doing,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e and they are always working on fixed time lines stated by the boss.  For example, the worker being \"passed the baton\" a pot with the spout just fixed onto the body by his colleague, will only focus on fixing on the handle, \u003cstrong\u003ewith nil to little regard to WHETHER THE HANDLE fixed on will be cohesive with the spout.  Each worker has NO idea of HOW THE FINAL POT WILL LOOK LIKE.\u003c\/strong\u003e  Beyond poor craftsmanship and clay, the result of such processes are ugly pots with poor cohesiveness which experienced Artists, Craftsmen and collectors will tell from a metre away.  Experienced people in us, do not need to pick up a pot to check whether it is fully-handmade or made of zisha, we can tell from a metre away just by looking at the pot.\u003cbr\u003e~~~~~~~~~~~~\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(4, 13, 139);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe keywords are: Detailing and Cohesiveness.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(4, 13, 139);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA GOOD Fully-Handmade ZiSha Work combines great detailing and cohesiveness.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e~~~~~~~~~~\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(Dear Friends, during the photo-taking process, there are five to six separate spotlights shining on the ZiSha pot from above and around.  Looking at the photos, the collar-rim of the lid-body interface thus shows the various spotlights' reflection.  You will therefore see 2 to 3 scattered brighter spots around the collar-rim.  Some\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e friends had asked before, \"is the rim-collar having any irregularity in circularity?\".  Thus, rest assured.  Do not misconstrue the two to three brighter spots around the lid-body rim collar to mean any irregularity in circularity of the rim-collar.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eThe rim-collars of all these ZiSha works crafted by our Craftsmen ARE REGULAR in CIRCULARITY, and you can rest assured!  Thank you Friends.) \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"realzisha.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46525610786966,"sku":null,"price":422.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/20260810_060952.jpg?v=1786313504","url":"https:\/\/www.realzisha.com\/en-au\/products\/%e6%b1%89%e6%a3%a0%e7%9f%b3%e7%93%a2-173-7ml-tai-xi-lao-zi-ni-%e5%8f%b0%e8%a5%bf%e7%9f%bf%e8%80%81%e7%b4%ab%e6%b3%a5-by-craftsman-gu-xiao-ming-%e9%a1%be%e5%b0%8f%e6%98%8e","provider":"realzisha.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}