Shuttle Kilns (梭式窑)

Shuttle Kilns (梭式窑, suo shi yao) were first built in Yixing during the early 1990s, following the closure of F1 and the privatization of zisha production. Unlike the state-controlled operations of previous decades, these new private producers were driven by financial rather than ideological motives. To achieve more economical production, they opted for smaller batch sizes and natural gas as fuel, reverting to batch firing instead of the continuous production used in tunnel kilns[1].

Shuttle Kilns are medium sized (by contemporary standards) kilns defined by their “shuttles” - carts on rails that lead into the kiln. The shuttle can be pulled completely out of the kiln for loading and unloading and is entirely enclosed by the kiln during firing. These relatively large shuttles allow for flexibility in the size and organization of wares, including large zisha wares such as flowerpots or art pieces[2]. Contemporary shuttle kilns often have two shuttles per kiln, one of which can be loaded as the other is firing. 

In standard usage, the shuttles hold kiln-shelves with teapots sorted vertically by heat requirement, with wares to be fired at the highest temperature on top. The kiln itself is clean-burning[3] with top-side shielded heating elements, such that the wares do not require placement within a saggar.