Lot #77: A finely crafted Chinese Yixing Zisha clay teapot (宜兴紫砂壶) engraved with the sacred Heart Sutra 般若波罗蜜多心经

The vessel is designed in a classic, minimalist Xi Shi (西施). It features a perfectly balanced, bulbous body, a short, elegantly upturned spout that ensures a clean pour, and a circular loop handle. The lid sits perfectly flush against the collar, topped by a simple, rounded sphere knob containing a tiny steam ventilation hole. Text & Inscriptions This teapot is deeply spiritual, entirely engraved with the sacred Heart Sutra (《般若波罗蜜多心经》). The Lid: The characters are engraved in a circular pattern reading clockwise: "般若波罗蜜多心经" (Bāoruò Bōluómìduō Xīnjīng - The Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra), with the chapter marker 卷一 (Volume 1). The Body: The belly of the pot is meticulously carved with the complete main text of the sutra in crisp, uniform Regular Script (Kaishu). The visible text starts directly with the famous opening passage: "观自在菩萨，行深般若波罗蜜多时，照见五蕴皆空，度一切苦厄..." ("When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the Five Skandhas and saw that they were all empty, crossing over all suffering..."). The Bottom Seal StampThe underside reveals a circular incised artist seal mark reading "崔國云製" (Cui Guoyun Zhi), which translates directly to "Made by Cui Guoyun". Cui Guoyun is a verified, recognized master craftsman and pottery artist specializing in traditional Yixing Zisha clay arts, confirming this piece as a dedicated piece of functional studio tea art. Pickup category timeslot {B}