This is a 1990s Xi Shi (西施) teapot, perhaps the best loved of the five classic shapes Taiwanese collectors named in the early days of the Yixing trade. The form takes its name from Xi Shi, one of the legendary Four Beauties of ancient China, and the design lives up to it: a plump rounded body, a short upturned spout, a small pearl-like knob, and the distinctive reversed handle that gives the silhouette its graceful, slightly coy character.
This teapot was made outside the state factory system, in local red clay (hongni-type 紅土) from the era just before full mass production took over. The material still shows the texture and ageing potential that make 90s pots a sweet spot for value today.
The high rounded chamber is ideal for ball-shaped oolongs such as Taiwanese high mountain tea or Tieguanyin, giving tightly rolled leaves the vertical room they need to open fully. At 100ml it is a nimble little gongfu pot, easy to handle and quick to master, making it an excellent first Yixing pot.
The base carries the "Zhong Guo Yi Xing" (中國宜興) seal typical of export production from the period. The pot is unused and in original condition.
