Reduction Firing - Wuhui “Black” Yixing Teapots (焐灰)

History and Process

Wuhui (焐灰, “Smoldering Ash”)[1] is a reductive kiln-firing technique that imparts shades of black to natural zisha clay, with the depth of coloration depending on the clay's iron content and surface texture. Wuhui is a type of yaobian (窑变, “kiln transmutation”)[2]:  originally an accidental firing flaw, the rarity and striking black color of the resulting wares eventually endeared themselves to Qing dynasty literati[3] where these black-fired wares found their acceptance. The term wuhui refers both to the specific reduction firing process used to produce wuhui wares and the wares themselves. 

Wuhui Yixing teapots have been dated to the late-Ming dynasty and the style varied in popularity throughout the Qing and RoC, ending only with the modernization of the early-F1 period. Cheng Shouzhen[4] (程寿珍, 1858 – 1939 CE), an acclaimed Yixing artist of the RoC era, was a known maker and proponent of wuhui wares; Cheng was known to have had many antique wuhui wares of the Qing dynasty in his personal collection.