Yixing clay

Peculiarities of Yixing clay

A Zisha teapot needs to be seasoned before use, and then to be improved daily. Beyond just daily use, you need to rinse and dry it constantly with a soft cloth or brush or tea brush.

Due to the porous nature of the clay, the teapot should be gradually tempered as it is used to brew a type of tea. This seasoning was part of the reason for using the Yixing clay teapot. Additionally, artisans have created imaginative teapots that incorporate animal shapes.

Yixing clay teapots are meant to be used with black (red) and Oolong teas, as well as aged Puer tea. They can also be used for green or white tea, but the water must be cooled to around 85°C before pouring into the teapot.

Yixing teapots absorb a small amount of tea during brewing. After prolonged use, the teapot will develop a layer that retains the flavor and color of the tea. For this reason soap should not be used to clean Yixing teapots.

Instead, they should be rinsed with fresh water and left to air dry. A skilled tea connoisseur uses only one type of tea in a particular teapot, so as not to corrupt the absorbed flavour.

Yi Xing, the city in eastern China, is famous for its purple clay teapots. The teapot carries numerous features such as various types, exquisite design, perfect hand-carved patterns. On the other hand, the ceramic teapot is the typical symbol when it comes to Yi Xing, and has been renowned for decades.