Purple Clay Qin Quan yixing clay woodfired teapot # 94892The name can be read literally as purple clay (zini) Qinquan teapot. Purple clay (zini) is one of the classic Yixing (Zisha) clays used for teapots, prized since the Ming and Qing dynasties for its porosity, heat retention and ability to develop a seasoning with use. The term (Qinquan) likely alludes to ancient Qindynasty bronze weights or balanceweights (quan), a motif that potters and connoisseurs later adopted as a source of archaizing forms. If