To own a quality YiXing teapot is to own a piece of history, a work of art and a valuable tea brewing vessel. Many tea connoisseurs would say that the YiXing teapot is an indispensable tool for a tea enthusiast's collection. The qualities that make them truly special are directly linked to the zisha clay, found only in the Jiangsu province of China, and the highly skilled craftspeople commissioned to create the pots.
Until the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), fermented and pressed cakes of tea had been boiled in large pots. The revolutionary Gong Chun decided his way of infusing tea leaves in a 'teapot', made of the now famous zisha purple clay, needed to be shared with others. He converted many scholars to his method of brewing tea and the tradition has continued to this day.
A YiXing teapot must be practical, look appealing to the owner, feel nice in the hand and pour well. The artist creating a new teapot attempts to express serenity, long life, beauty, luck, happiness and often an appreciation for the natural world. A buyer should feel some, or even all, of these emotions when purchasing a new YiXing teapot.
Only a few steps are necessary for making a pot of tea. Heating the teapot is the first step. Ideally, pouring hot water into the pot until it runs down the sides is best. This insures even and complete heat distribution. Swirling the boiling water in the pot and then emptying is fine but does not work quite as well especially when brewing finer teas. Next, measure the appropriate amount of tea leaves into the pot and pour a sufficient quantity of water (at the temperature required by the type of leaf used) to cover the leaves. It is not necessary to rinse the leaves as many believe. There is no evidence that it benifits brewing or flavor and is actually a waste of fine tea. Place the lid back on the pot and, if desired, pour more hot water over the outside of the pot to maintain the temperature. This is not always necessary when brewing green teas as they need a much lower temperature (~150F to 170F) to brew than oolongs. The water on the surface of the teapot will begin to evaporate and, when the teapot is dry (it takes about 2-3 minutes), you will know it is time to pour unless the tea requires longer to infuse. Greens tend to infuse more quickly than oolong teas so do not over-infuse. When finished brewing, rinse the pot with hot water and allow to completely air dry. Soap or detergents of any kind should never be used with YiXing teapots.
It is essential to only use one type of tea in each YiXing teapot due to the porous nature. Greens, oolongs and black should each have their own teapot and still another pot for each flavored or scented tea. Ideally, each tea brewed should have it's very own YiXing teapot but that can be difficult and expensive so use discretion when brewing. A particularly strong tea can ruin a zisha clay teapot if not used exclusively for that particular tea. Also, always allow the teapot to thoroughly dry inside and out between uses. A damp YiXing teapot can develop mold and be ruined.
