In Chinese ceramics, as early as the Neolithic era, ancestors used methods such as pressing, stamping, and engraving to beautify Pottery. Common cord patterns, for instance, were created by pressing ropes into the clay. Other patterns were produced by pressing objects with existing designs onto the unfired body to create both regular and irregular motifs. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, the variety of mould-printed decorations increased. Examples that survive today include the taotie pattern, lozenge dragon pattern, herringbone pattern, petal pattern, cloud and thunder pattern, whirlpool pattern, meander pattern, and interlocking ring pattern.

The mould-printing decoration technique is not widely used in zisha Teapots; it is typically applied to certain areas such as the neck, shoulder, footring, and rim of the lid, where geometric or meander patterns are printed.

Another method, similar but distinguished by its relief effect, is known as mould-impression or mould-stamping. This technique was already in use during the Shang dynasty, and by the Sui dynasty, mould-stamped mould-printing had become a common craft practice. After applying the mould-printed pattern on Sui dynasty porcelain, glaze was applied over the surface, making the decorative pattern visible after firing. In the context of zisha teapots, the mould-impression process can be applied to either a section or the entire piece. For an overall design, a cylindrical body (tang shentong) is made, and the desired graphic is designed on the mother mold, similar to a low-relief sculpture. A mold is then created. Alternatively, the required pattern can be carved out on the prepared mold and refined. When making the Teapot, the cylindrical body is formed using this mold, eliminating the need for further pressing and meticulous finishing. Patterns produced using this decorative method are usually raised on the body of the teapot.

Appraisal: This teapot features grapevine decoration and uses actual grape leaves as moulds to impress leaf veins, a common technique in the early Qing dynasty.