{"product_id":"fang-gu-仿古-216-2ml-lao-zi-ni-老紫泥-by-craftsman-chen-fa-chu-陈法初","title":"Fang Gu 仿古, 216.2ml, Lao Zi Ni 老紫泥, by Craftsman Chen Fa Chu 陈法初 ~!Congratulations to Mr A.J.! 2111hrs 19th Dec 2025, Oakland! CA!","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eRegarding the 老 \"Lao\".\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLao Zi Ni, would easily translate as “Old\/Aged Zi Ni”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHowever please do not fall to this narrative oft times used by many retailers even within China, to hoax the newcomers and customers.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e   \u003cstrong\u003eAs you have already read on our main page explanation, revealing what many retailers have been writing to dupe\/hype customers into believing and buying: \"clay AGED for more than twenty years\", \"clay aged since the 1960s”. \u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eDo not fall into this narrative.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe apologise but, there really is no\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003esuch thing in our fraternity, lauding \"clay that is aged for many years!\".   No such thing at all.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eThere is an optimum period of time, between 1) processing the ore into the clay brick, and 2) taking out this clay for use to craft a pot.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThis optimum period is between one year to five years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIf left more than five years, the quality actually suffers and degrades.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSo countless other retailers from YiXIng or from other provinces, all hoaxing our local Chinese consumers, or simply spreading this narrative downstream to their next-level chain of retailers: lauding \"Aged Clay\": often writing as such: “This pot is made from clay that is aged for twenty years since the 80s: \"陈腐多年的紫砂泥料”!!!”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNEVER FALL FOR IT.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLet us go back to this Lao Zi Ni explanation.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLao Zi Ni, in Chinese, are these three characters:  老紫泥.\u003cbr\u003eNote the words: 老 Lao, and, 紫泥 Zi Ni.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Chinese character 老 Lao, can mean two things!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. 老 Lao, as in Old\/Aged,\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. 老 Lao, as in \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 19, 126);\"\u003ehard or tough\u003c\/span\u003e when describing cooked meat, e.g. \"厨师把这片肉煮得太老了。\" meaning \"The Chef has cooked this piece of meat, too long and thus too hard.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eTHE PROPER fraternity here in YiXIng, when we call a clay \"LAO\", we actually refer \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eto and mean that: the clay is from ores excavated from extremely deep strata geologically.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 41, 143);\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThese ores are pressed upon hugely due to the gravitational mass above it. This layer of ore will hence be Hard.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTherefore, the ore pickers will term such a hardened layer of Zi Ni that is excavated from such deep layers, \"老紫泥 Lao Zi Ni\". Thus the proper fraternity mean it is hard. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the unscrupulous retailers will play on this word to say it is \"Old\/Aged\" Clay.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eIt gives us goose pimples.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhatever we sell you, you can bring it to YiXing during our Hospitality Tour to drink tea with Grand Masters Cao Ya Lin \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e曹亚麟\u003c\/span\u003e, He Dao Hong \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e何道洪\u003c\/span\u003e, Shao Shun Sheng \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e邵顺生\u003c\/span\u003e, and you are in a happy proper ecosystem with truthful, rightful pieces of our precious ZiSha Art proper fraternity.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAs long as all are picked cleanly, all ZiSha types are equally cherished in our eyes.  The difference in price relates to their rarity, but we never say rare = better quality.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou can teach others on our behalf please or else everybody else fall into rabbit holes and spend a lot of money on things that aren't true.  We just say it as it is in Ground Zero with our Grand Masters and in Museums, we want you dearest guardians of Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art and Craft, to have simply, the best, the honest and the worthy!!!  No hype please, no extortionate prices.  Sacrificial and lowest prices afforded by these committed Craftsmen and Artists!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/IMG-20230101-WA0034_ed298d8e-2541-4bfa-b1a3-226f1aa4ec32_480x480.jpg?v=1696776602\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/Screenshot_20241011_164628_Gallery_2a1fdf24-387c-4c72-9f60-532d6a7f39a6.jpg?v=1730398690\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/Screenshot_20241011_164610_Gallery_04cfc297-3720-4b8e-b483-2030c08b081e.jpg?v=1730398715\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/Screenshot_20241011_164517_Gallery_274e5211-8aa3-482c-96a5-f1b3cb7fc00c.jpg?v=1730398735\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/Screenshot_20241011_164241_Gallery_8915cc7b-3164-413c-b638-d218a10eb1f2.jpg?v=1730398760\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/Screenshot_20241011_164053_Gallery_f6abd052-c622-498d-9088-d13607ac5f6a.jpg?v=1730398795\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/Screenshot_20241011_164026_Gallery_a8daed3c-0c03-45b3-a9a7-59cb598e8c0d.jpg?v=1730398814\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/Screenshot_20241011_163947_Gallery_b1d342c1-27b9-4f1c-8f1e-3f55ba0cecfe.jpg?v=1730398834\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e~~~~~~~~~~\u003cbr\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Must-Have ZiSha model, created by the all-important master of ZiSha in its history: Shao Da Heng. Shao Da Heng is our Grand Master Shao Shun Sheng's great-great-great-great-grandfather (6 Generations direct lineage).\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe love Chen Fa Chu's Fang Gu. It is perfect! It is soooooo balanced! (We have compared many from various Crafters and Artists). Yi-Lei and my own personal daily staples.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFang Gu is the stapl-est of the staples.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou must have one.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhile at it, enjoy the best and most affordable, from Chen Fa Chu.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLovingly made by our trusted and committed collaborative Craftsman Chen Fa Chu. He thanks you for your grandest support to the honest and dedicated Craftsladies and Craftsmen here left to fend the Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Stalwart, dedicated to the cause, Craftsman Chen Fa Chu, thanks you, for embracing his work.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnjoy his superb, classic handwork!!!and let his work accompany you on your tea journey! Thank you Friends!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 Chen Fa Chu'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\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 27, 174);\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003eExplained, 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.\u003c\/span\u003e   Craftsman takes 3 days (fastest 2.5days) to craft a pot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\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\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\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\u003e\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\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\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\u003e\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.  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.\u003cbr\u003eThank you Friends!\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\u003eAgain, another\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003etremendous\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003elabor of love\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby our trusted and committed collaborative Craftsman Chen Fa Chu.  It is a team effort and we thank you dearest Friends for your grandest support to the honest and the dedicated Craftsladies and Craftsmen here left to fend the Fully-Handmade ZiSha Art.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lines and detailing speak of Craftsman Chen Fa Chu'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\u003eThe keywords are: Detailing and Cohesiveness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA GOOD Fully-Handmade ZiSha Work combines great detailing and cohesiveness.\u003cbr\u003e~~~~~~~~~~\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(Dear Friends, during the photo-taking process, five to six separate spotlights above and around, are used.  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;\"\u003eYes, the rim-collars of all these ZiSha works crafted by our Craftsmen ARE REGULAR in CIRCULARITY :-D, and you can rest assured.  Thank you Friends.) \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"realzisha.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46037911437462,"sku":null,"price":212.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3684\/4694\/files\/20251218_131054.jpg?v=1766082064","url":"https:\/\/www.realzisha.com\/products\/fang-gu-%e4%bb%bf%e5%8f%a4-216-2ml-lao-zi-ni-%e8%80%81%e7%b4%ab%e6%b3%a5-by-craftsman-chen-fa-chu-%e9%99%88%e6%b3%95%e5%88%9d","provider":"realzisha.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}