About Yixing Teapots

 Yixing Teapots

Yixing lies approximately 150 miles west of Shanghai by the shores of the beautiful Lake Tai Hu, surrounded by mountains from which the very special ‘Zisha’ clay is extracted.  Teapots have been made in Yixing for over 600 years and are highly collectible.  These beautiful pieces are designed by master craftsmen, whose originals sell for many thousands of pounds, and are lovingly hand-fashioned by skilled potters.

Zisha clay is the finest material in the world for making teapots. It is found in various colours that can be blended to make more colours.  The majority of Yixing teapots are unpainted and their decoration is achieved by the skillful application of coloured clays.  As Zisha clay is lead and cadmium free, the teapots do not need to be glazed which offers many advantages.  Being porous, the clay slowly absorbs the tea oils and is thus ‘seasoned’.  It is said that after several years of use tea can be brewed by simply pouring water into a well seasoned Yixing teapot.

Care of Yixing Teapots

Before the teapot can be used for brewing tea it must first be ‘cooked’.  This procedure opens the pores of the Zisha clay and removes the clay taste from the teapot.  First place the teapot in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and turn on the heat.  When the water is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about one hour.  Carefully remove the teapot and allow it to air dry.  Place a handful of tea leaves (any tea will do) into the water and replace the teapot into the saucepan.  Simmer for a further one hour.  Remove the teapot and again allow to air dry.  The teapot is now ready for use. 

IMPORTANT!  Some Yixing teapots have a wax coating to enhance the exterior appearance.  These should not be ‘cooked’ as the wax coating will become mottled.  To prepare waxed pots for use fill with boiling water and leave for 10 minutes.  Empty the pot and refill with boiling water, leave to stand for a further 10 minutes.  Repeat this procedure one more time then refill with boiling water and add 3 or 4 teaspoons of loose tea.  Leave for at least two hours.  The teapot is now ready for use.

Using Yixing Teapots

There is something magical about serving tea from a Yixing teapot and a fine teapot deserves a fine tea.  As over time the teapot will absorb the character of the tea, it is recommended to have a separate pot for green and black tea.  To make green tea in a pot that has previously been used for black tea could taint the delicate flavour.  We recommend the Chinese tea-making method, Gong Fu, for Yixing teapots.  This method entails using twice the recommended quantity of tea, filling the pot with water at the correct temperature for the tea, allowing to stand for 30 seconds and pouring this first infusion away (a good practice is to pour the tea into cups and then over the teapot.  This helps to give the teapot a patina or lustre).  Refill the teapot and infuse for half the recommended time.  Dependant on the quality of the tea, the leaves can be re-used several times when brewing Gong Fu style, just increase the infusion time slightly for each pot.

Never use detergents of any kind on Yixing teapots.  Simply rinse with hot water and allow to air dry.

Collecting Yixing Teapots

Yixing teapots are exported to over 80 countries where they are snapped up by eager collectors.  Although thousands of some designs are produced, each one is hand made and as such is unique.  All genuine Yixing pots have the potter’s stamp or ‘chop mark’, usually on the base and inside the lid.  Some have the stamp of both the designer and the potter.  Examples made by master potters are much sought after and can cost many thousands of pounds.  Unusually, collectors look for well-used teapots that have developed a fine lustrous patina rather than pristine, unused examples.