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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.
 
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