This elegant Dao Ba Xi Shi (倒把西施) teapot was likely produced during the late 1980s to very early 1990s at Yixing Factory One and crafted by Li Dandi (李旦娣), a potter known among Factory One enthusiasts for her refined and highly practical works, particularly within smaller everyday forms.
“Dao Ba Xi Shi” (Inverted Handle Xi Shi) is a variation of the classic Xi Shi form, featuring a lowered rear handle that creates a calmer visual balance and exceptionally comfortable grip during pouring. Compared to the standard Xi Shi shape, the lowered center of gravity gives the teapot a steadier and more grounded presence in hand, making it especially enjoyable for daily gongfu brewing.
The teapot carries the soft rounded proportions characteristic of earlier Factory One works before later mass production became more industrialized in the mid-to-late 1990s. The clay displays a deeper and more mature zini character, while the transitions between the body, spout, lid, and handle remain smooth and harmonious.
A tiny kiln nick can be found around the mouth rim of the body, but it does not affect functionality, lid fit, or pouring performance in any way.
Compact, highly usable, and quietly elegant, this is a beautiful example of the refined practicality that made late Factory One teapots so beloved among tea drinkers in Taiwan and Hong Kong during the export era.
