This unique, half-handmade Yixing teapot was custom designed and crafted exclusively for Black Cloud by potter Fu Zhen Yuan. We asked Fu to create a teapot based on the Black Cloud name. He had full creative license to marry traditional skills with a modern twist. Fu supplied us with these beautiful specimens that we're incredibly proud to be sharing with the tea world. Besides being a work of art, these teapots are really fun to use, with excellent functionality. The clay is great quality, it has a quick, super smooth pour and overall the feel is well balanced. Each of these very limited edition, Zi Ni purple sand clay pots, comes stamped with our very own original (& now vintage) Black Cloud logo seal of authenticity. Volume: ≈140ml Clay: Zi NiFilter: 16 hole, built-in Teapot Care: Before first use we highly recommend rinsing the teapot thoroughly or seasoning it in boiling water for 10-15minutes. Yixing teapots are very porous so after each use, rinse and clean with cold water only. Do not use any soap or coarse sponges, as these can spoil or tarnish the clay. Then dry thoroughly with a clean cloth. Make sure your teapot is fully air dry, inside and out, before storing away in a box or a cabinet. Yixing clay pots are prized for improving the texture and flavour of some types of tea. Often making the tea taste smoother, rounder and more mellow. As Yixing clay is porous, oils from the tea leaves will naturally coat and soak into the clay over time, which can improve the flavour of your tea. Therefore you can choose to dedicate your teapot to a single type of tea. We like to use Yixing clay for darker teas, like roasted or aged oolongs, ripe puerh, raw puerh and black tea. Note: These teapots are handmade so small variations in capacity and experience may occur. We check each teapot before shipping. Meet Fu Zhen Yuan “When I first met Sasha from Black Cloud at my studio in Yixing, we weren’t talking about tea; it was music and we both found that we shared a love for abstract aesthetics. I liked his music, he liked my work. This mutual feeling made the design process easier. After spending two days watching the clouds on the hilltop near the studio, I produced about three or four draft versions of the prototype and then finalised this version. The main part of the pot is an abstract cloud. The other parts, although derived from the classic form of Chinese teapots, have been harmonised. The spout and handle describe the rising gas, while the lid expresses their connection: this is how the forms interact. As you are making tea in the gong fu way, the water vapour will cover these lines and entangle them, so the emotions become relaxed. In the choice of materials, I matched the concept of a ‘black cloud’ with a pure, deep purple clay. The mud has a certain graininess, so that the overall appearance will not be too frivolous. Finally, the electric kiln is fired at 1180°, this temperature is a critical point for this kind of purple clay, so that everything is just right.”
