The gloss of a Zisha teapot, also known as “water color,” can appear lustrous or dull. What causes this difference? Is it the clay, the craftsmanship, or something else?…
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After a Zisha teapot is fired to crystallization, surface contraction forms wrinkles. Most light is absorbed by these wrinkles, which is why new Zisha Teapots appear relatively dim compared to other objects. Only a small portion of light is reflected from the crystalline surfaces, making the pot visible.
After a period of care and use, Tea and oils are adsorbed onto the different depths of the wrinkles, increasing the density of reflective points. Since these reflections come from various depths, the light appears to have depth, resembling a luminous cloud. The light scattered from crystalline points also creates an effect similar to a misty glow.
Thus, genuine Zisha teapots do not appear overly bright and are not glaring under strong light, giving off a warm and lustrous feeling.
Observing the gloss sounds simple but requires experience. A Zisha teapot with good gloss is made from pure, high-quality clay and crafted with skillful techniques at the correct firing temperature:
1. The clay must be pure and of high quality. Only clays with high sand particle purity will allow the particles to fix in place, enabling the burnishing tool (ming zhen) to work effectively on them (if non-local clay is used, applying force with the burnishing tool will cause the sand particles to Sink into the clay, exposing powdered clay).
The sand particles must be uniform. If there are many impurities or uneven vitrification, the particles will fire at different temperatures and display different colors, making it difficult to achieve a lustrous appearance. Therefore, a teapot that exhibits a lustrous sheen is made from high-quality clay.
2. Skilled craftsmanship is essential. Without excellent burnishing skills to level the sand particles and smooth out the clay, the lustrous sheen cannot be achieved. Even the best clay will result in a Mud-like color if not burnished properly. Therefore, a teapot with a lustrous sheen is indicative of superior craftsmanship.
3. A Zisha teapot must be fully fired and vitrified at the appropriate temperature. zisha clay belongs to the kaolinite-quartz-mica type and has an optimal particle composition. A Zisha teapot that has not reached full crystallization cannot exhibit a lustrous sheen.