Before using your new teapot for the first time, it is a good idea to follow an initial procedure to remove any remaining clay pieces or glazing applied by the craftsperson. Using wooden spoons, or other appropriate utensils, carefully place your teapot into a large pot of water with a cloth resting in the bottom to protect the teapot from breakage. Make sure that no part of your teapot will come into contact with the large pot. Slowly warm the water to a gentle simmer. Allow it to soak for a few minutes or up to a few hours if you'd like. Then, very carefully remove the teapot from the boiling water and place in another large container of warm water or add enough cool water to the large pot to bring the temperature down and let it soak for a few minutes. Use one of your wooden utensils to lightly scrape any remaining debris from the inside of the teapot. Rinse well and let it air dry. This process will remove loose clay bits and esthetic glazes applied by the crafter.

Now it's time to enjoy a pot of tea:

1.  Preheat your teapot by filling with hot to boiling water. Discard this water.

2.  Measure your tea leaves and place in teapot.

3.  Pour water at the appropriate temperature over the tea leaves and allow to steep for the desired amount of time. 30 seconds to 2 minutes for green,
     3 to 5 minutes for black, and anywhere from 2 to 7 minutes for oolongs.

4.  Decant ALL of the liquid into cups and, if you have extra, pour it into another preheated container rather than leaving it with the leaves.

5.  Depending on the tea, you may resteep as often as desired. But be careful to never leave water in the teapot with the tea leaves.

6.  When finished steeping, discard all leaves and rinse pot with clear water. (No soap!) Invert the pot on a flat surface to drain and air dry.
      Polish with a soft cloth.

Because of the porous nature of these teapots, it is highly recommended to use a different pot for each kind of tea. Greens in one, oolongs in another and black in still another. Flavored teas should also have a pot of their own. Using an infuser is not necessary. Leaves in the bottom of your cup are fine and even desirable to tea connoisseurs. Let your teapot air dry upside down, if possible, to avoid the possibility of mold developing. Enjoy all of the wonderful new experiences you will have with your new YiXing teapot!