Jing Lan: The Eternal Source

Master Liu Huachun | Fully Handcrafted Jiang Po Ni Teapot

The Jing Lan—modeled after the stone fence of an ancient well—is one of the most stable and philosophical silhouettes in Zisha history. At ZENTAOEAST, we present this vessel not just as a teapot, but as a tribute to the lineage of masters. This specific piece is a fully handcrafted masterpiece by Master Liu Huachun, representing forty years of devotion to the “Way of Clay.”

A Master’s Homage: The Spirit of Gu Jingzhou

Master Liu Huachun, a certified National Artist and Director of the China Zisha Culture Research Association, has spent four decades refining her craft under the mentorship of Provincial Master Bao Yumei.

The Jing Lan is one of Master Liu’s most beloved forms. In a profound gesture of respect, she created this piece as an exact homage to the prototype by the “God of Teapots,” Grandmaster Gu Jingzhou. Unlike semi-handcrafted pots, this vessel was born through the rigorous “Beaten Cylinder” (身筒) method—where the clay is rhythmically hammered into shape without the use of a mold. Master Liu believes that the soul of a Jing Lan lies in its proportions: the spout, the handle, and the lid must reach a state of “natural comfort” where the eye finds no friction. It is a pursuit of a beauty that is both felt and seen.

The Legend of Jiang Po Ni: Nature’s Serendipity

The material for this teapot is Original Ore Jiang Po Ni (Slope-down Clay) from Huanglong Mountain. This clay has a fascinating origin: it was discovered accidentally in the 1990s during the construction of a road connecting the two pottery mountains of Yixing.

• Paragenetic Rarity: Jiang Po Ni is a “paragenetic” ore (共生矿), naturally blending the qualities of Red, Purple, and Green clays. It is famous for its strong granularity—a rugged, sandy texture that makes it notoriously difficult to shape.

• Superior Breathability: While its high mineral grit poses a challenge for the artisan, it provides the drinker with the ultimate benefit: exceptional breathability. The “double-pore” structure of Jiang Po Ni is highly pronounced, allowing for a more active interaction between the tea and the air, resulting in a brew of remarkable clarity and sweetness.

• The Triple-Fired Glow: This teapot was fired three times in a box-type electric kiln. Master Liu insists on this triple-firing ritual to achieve the “perfect hue”—a vibrant, warm orange-red that glows with an interior light, highlighting the diverse mineral particles of the ore.

An Investment in Heritage

As Huanglong Mountain has long been closed to mining, this teapot is crafted from Master Liu’s private reserve of “Early Years” ore. It is a non-renewable treasure, designed to develop a deep, lustrous patina that will only become more radiant over decades of use.

Curator’s Verdict

“Standing in Master Liu’s studio, I watched her hands move with a precision that only forty years of focus can produce. This Jing Lan teapot is the ‘Anchor’ of our collection. It carries the weight of a well, the story of a road, and the spirit of a master. To hold it is to feel the ‘Rugged Clumsiness’ of the earth transformed into a vessel of supreme grace. It is, in every sense, a masterpiece for a lifetime.”

— Richard Zhang, Founding Curator