Of the three Yixing clays, zini (紫泥) is the one you will meet most often. It is the body of most antique pots and of almost every teapot used daily in China.
Grain
Zini is coarse. Under magnification the body is a lattice of quartz and mica in a darker clay matrix. That structure is what lets the pot breathe without weeping.
Potters sort the ground ore into grain grades and mix them:
- Fine for thin-walled pots with a sharp silhouette
- Medium for most daily-use teapots
- Coarse for wood-fired and raku-style finishes
Firing
Zini is fired once, around 1100°C, in an oxidising atmosphere. The iron in the clay turns the body from the grey-green of raw ore to a warm brown-purple.
Over-firing turns the body glassy and closes the pores. Under-firing leaves it fragile and too absorbent. The window is narrow, which is why kiln control is the potter's real craft.
Handmade versus moulded
A moulded pot is pressed into a plaster form. A fully handmade pot is built from beaten slabs and joined with slip. The differences that matter:
- Wall thickness — handmade pots can be thinner and more even.
- Grain orientation — beating aligns the clay particles, which changes how the pot pours and how it takes on patina.
- Durability — a well-joined handmade pot survives decades of thermal cycling.
Caring for zini
Rinse with hot water. Dry with the lid off. Never soap, never the dishwasher, never a damp cabinet. Everything else is preference.
