Yixing purple clay teapot – flat-bottomed Dezhong purple clay teapot made by Master Chen Xiaozhong

Description

Yixing teapots, called Zi Sha Hu in China and Purple Sand teapots in the U.S., are perhaps the most famous teapots. They are named for a tiny city located in Jiangsu Province, where a specific compound of iron ore results in the unique coloration of these teapots. They were fired without a glaze and were used to steep specific types of oolong teas. Because of the porous nature of the clay, the teapot would gradually be tempered by using it for brewing one kind of tea. This seasoning was part of the reason to use Yixing teapots. In addition, artisans created fanciful pots incorporating animal shapes.

Yixing teapots are meant for use with black and oolong teas, as well as aged puer tea. They can also be used for green or white tea, but the water must be allowed to cool to around 85 °C (185 °F) before pouring the water into the pot. Yixing teapots absorb a tiny amount of tea into the pot during brewing. After prolonged use, the pot will develop a coating that retains the flavour and colour of the tea. It is for this reason that soap should not be used to clean Yixing teapots. Instead, it should be rinsed with fresh water and allowed to air-dry. A studious tea connoisseur will only steep one type of tea in a particular pot, so as not to corrupt the flavour that has been absorbed.

Three factors are inseparable: water temperature, amount of tea, and brewing time.In addition to the key “Tea ware” that affects the taste of tea, there are also “utensils”. There are thousands of utensils for making tea, including glass, porcelain and pottery. For most people, porcelain and glass are the most convenient tea utensils. They have small pores and do not absorb water.They can restore the most original taste of tea soup, which is very helpful for learning tea. Of course, the most important thing is that the price is cheap, you can buy it for hundreds or even tens of dollars.
Yixing Zisha tea set has the characteristics of purple-red color, fine texture, strong plasticity and good permeability. After molding, it is fired at a high temperature of 1150 °C. The double air holes inside the Zisha teapot make the Zisha tea set have good air permeability.Because “pottery” has large pores and high water absorption, it has the effect of softening water quality. Even the taste of the tea soup brewed by a good pot and a bad pot is very different. And it also contains rich and profound tea culture connotation, both practical value and ornamental value.The most famous is the Zisha teapot in Yixing, Jiangsu, China. It is developed from traditional folk handicrafts. It is loved by people for its unique material and wonderful and diverse shapes. Different mud materials, different grades, and different shapes all affect the price of a pot. In addition to the vermilion clay that we can easily get started with, we would like to take you to a deeper understanding of purple sand and appreciate the more beautiful clay-painted teapots.

Because “pottery” has large pores, high water absorption, and has the effect of softening water quality. Even the taste of tea soup brewed by a good pot and a bad pot is very different. But in addition to its practical function of making tea, its aesthetic value is to a greater extent, it pays attention to the beauty of restraint, coquettishness, and restraint. Most of the purple sand works in the early years were not decorated, and a plain purple sand ware can be used as an independent aesthetic subject. However, the purple sand decoration has always been accompanied by the purple sand craft. From plain plain body to partial decoration, to glazing, gilding, tin-wrapping, inlaying jade, colored mud painting, etc., at the end of Qing Dynasty, due to the participation of literati, it changed to calligraphy, painting, compilation and engraving. Decorative means, making utensils full of scholarly temperament.
Different mud materials, different grades, and different vessel shapes all affect the price of a pot. In addition to the easy-to-get Zhuni, we also want to bring you an in-depth understanding of Zisha and appreciate more beautiful clay-painted teapots.