This Bao Zhun shaped teapot is from a new firing performed in January 2024 that contained many teapots executed in response to our suggestions. When working with craftspeople like Zhang, we never make specific requests that are conditional to our interest in their work but, in conversation around a cup of tea, we will give feedback if the mood allows it and leave it at that. It makes it even more rewarding when we received a message in January that he would pay us a visit with teapots made just for us! “You said you wanted smaller teapots. I made some for you”, he said. Not only are they in the 150 to 200 ml range, like this pot, but the vast majority propose a multi-holed ball-shape filter we all like! As with all of Mr. Zhang's work, the shape and execution are flawless right down to the fit of the lid and the alignment of spout, handle and lid knob. As if blessed by the gods, the wood-firing process magnified the perfect shape of the pot with one of the most stunning golden shades and gloss. The pot adorns a deep and uniform lustrous sheen. These aesthetic characteristics are purely accidental and the result of elements contained in the clay fusing during the firing process. The short straight spout with a generous diameter of 7 mm allows a fast pour out of just over 8 seconds making it a perfect pot for the art of Taiwanese-style tea making. The pot's proportions and size along with its 4 mm wall-thickness make it a perfect vessel for gongfu style tea-making intended for both lighter fragrant teas or darker, baked or charcoal-fired oolong teas. The end material is dense with very low porosity that doesn't dull more fragrant teas. Needless to say, this pot unique. Even more so with the fact that it is adorned by two unintentional bumps on the right side of the pot which appeared during the firing. We tend to see these “imperfections” as an expression of true uniqueness and beauty in the wabi-sabi sense of aesthetics. What you see in the pictures is what you will get. Handmade in Taiwan.