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Yixing Teapot
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Yixing (E-shing ) teapots are one of the two main styles of Chinese teapots. During the Ming Dynasty, the first teapots were created. The city of Yixing was known for its purple-colored zisha clay deposits. The unglazed reddish-maroon teapots produced from this special clay came to be known for their quality and beauty. These teapots were soon considered to be art pieces and collected by tea connoisseurs and art collectors. One of the most distinctive features prized by collectors is the potter’s personal mark or seal (a.k.a. “chop mark”) placed on the bottom of each piece. Today, they also are used as decoration pieces in the home or office. Although they can be used to prepare lower temperature teas such as green teas, they are used primarily for brewing oolong and black teas.
When using the yixing teapot for the first time, it should be rinsed in boiling water to remove excess bits of clay and glazing. Due to its porous nature, yixing teapots absorb a small amount of tea into the actual pot. Over time, the inside of the pot will form a coating that retains some of the taste, scent, and color of the tea. Because of this, it is recommended that only one type of tea be used with each pot. The pot should never be washed with soap. It should be rinsed out with water and air-dried. Because the lid fits tightly, heat is conserved well. The spout has built-in filters and can be emptied out quickly. This method keeps the tea fresh and prevents it from becoming bitter due to steeping too long.
When purchasing a yixing teapot, you will want to consider and check several factors. Traditional yixing teapots follow the original unglazed simple reddish-clay style. Contemporary yixing teapots may include paintings on them and do not follow the traditional color or shape. To select the size of the pot, think of it as 6 oz. per person. Make sure to inspect the lid to see whether or not it fits snugly. When you gently tap the pots together, you should hear a distinctly metallic sound. Water should pour very smoothly from the spout; however, when you cover the hole on the lid, the water should immediately stop flowing.
Something unique to experience is making the teapot “laugh”. After placing the tea inside the pot and adding hot water, cover the pot with the lid and pour some hot water over the outside surface of the lid. If it works, the hot steam rising from inside the pot will cause the lid to shake up and down a bit. The clattering noise caused by the movement is the teapot “laughing”.
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