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 Yixing ( pronounced Yee-shing ) is a small
city that has become famous due to a unique type of clay
that is only found there. This unique clay is called
Zisha. Zisha Clay is found in five different
colors...red, yellow, green, black, and purple. It has
been used in pottery for over 3,000 years. The
properties of the clay make it the perfect vessel for
brewing tea. With use, the teapot absorbs the flavors of
the tea which enhances future batches. Zisha Clay Teapot
should never be washed with soap and water, just rinse
with water and allow to drip dry.
 
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Yixing (pronounced “Yee-Shing”)
teapots are very special teapots made from zisha clay, a
rare type of purplish clay made of iron, quartz and
mica. It is found only in Yixing, China; a town located
roughly 120 miles north west of Shanghai amidst rolling
hills. Zisha clay is so unique in fact, that Yixing is
the only place in the world where it can be found. This
very rare material gives the Yixing teapot special
properties that make it one of the most sought after
teapots in the world, for both collectors and tea
enthusiasts alike.
Yixing teapots originated during
the Sung Dynasty (960 – 1279) where they were first
handmade on a potter’s wheel. As they continued to be
produced through the 17th, 18th
and 19th centuries, their simple design and
unpretentious beauty began to mature. As Yixing teapots
grew in popularity, scholars made and collected them
with fervor, improving on their designs and
craftsmanship.
Traditionally, Yixing teapots are
small enough so that an individual can have their own.
Interestingly, the teacups that are used with a Yixing
teapot are proportionate to the size of the pot itself.
Therefore, someone with a very small Yixing teapot could
easily drink 100 cups of tea a day.
Zisha clay comes naturally in
blue, red and purple colors. When mineral pigments are
added to the clay, new colors can be created. For
example, mixing blue clay with cobalt oxide creates
black teapots. Years of experimentation and development
have created a massive range of Yixing teapot colors.
Perhaps the most famous type of Yixing teapot is called
Zishayao. The clay in this teapot contains a high amount
of iron, which creates a deep purple-brown, similar to
the skin of a pear.
Besides the Yixing teapot’s
beauty, it is also considered to be one of the finest
tea brewing pots in the world. It is said that if you
pour hot water into an empty Yixing teapot that has been
in use for many years, you can brew tea without any tea
leaves. Zisha clay is extremely porous and will absorb
the flavor of tea, making each brew better and more
flavorful every time it is used. Another special quality
of zisha clay is its ability to retain heat. It has a
low shrinkage rate when the clay is fired in a kiln, and
potters can create a tightly fitting lid that will
decrease oxidization and further increase tea flavor.
What’s more, zisha clay comes free of any toxic
materials like lead, arsenic and cadmium, which can
found in some other types of clay.
Yixing teapots are arguably among
the finest teapots in the world. When evaluating a
teapot’s brewing quality, four factors are taken into
consideration: The color of the tea produced, and the
levels of phenol, caffeine and aminophylline. The Yixing
teapot’s performance has been found to be superior to
that of standard teapots in all four areas of testing.
Not only are Yixing teapots an
important part of Asian culture and sought after by tea
enthusiasts and collectors across the world, but they
are unique and valuable works of art. Each one is a
simplistically beautiful tribute to the Asian arts, and
each one brews a healthier, superior, more flavorful cup
of tea as well. |
