What is a Yixing Teapot?

A Yixing teapot has an unusual clay and exceptional pottery methods honed over many centuries. These are classic teapots that have been used since before 1500.

Its porous quality and longevity is astounding. It has been suggested that the red clay used for the English "brown Betty" may be similar to its clay because both have superior heat retention, capability, permeability, and high plasticity.

They have been used since before 1500. They are highly collectible for both their designs and elegant forms. As unique as they are, the main reason for using them is that they bring out the best of fine tea.

The differences are that most brown Betty's are glazed and Yixing teapots are not, and brown Betty's are fairly new compared to the centuries-old Yixing Teapots.

The clay is beaten up for up to three days to get as much of the air as possible out of it so that it will be strong and "tight".

They can take firing from 2012 to 2462 degrees Fahrenheit and it is not unusual for the heating time to be more than forty hours for a single piece.

The most prized color is dark brown but the most common is the terra cotta red. Other colors are ochre, black, or teal. The teal ones are oxidized to heighten the color so they are not used for drinking but rather as a collection only.

You should also know that some teapots do not get their color from the ore but are rather painted. You can tell the true color simply by looking the inside the pot.

When buying a yixing teapot, make sure you choose the traditional ones with classic designs. Although some designs are truly adorable and irresistible, they don't function that well.

Since yixing teapots are made without an interior glaze, you should always use the same type of tea in the same pot and not mix it with another tea. This way you will be able to enjoy the full benefits of flavor, aroma, and true perfection.

It is not unusual for tea connoisseurs to have multiple teapots in their possession, one for each tea. The reason behind this is that after brewing the same tea in the same teapot, you can just put in water because the flavor, aroma and taste of years of tea will come through in the water without any tea leaves used at all.

If you happen to buy an inexpensive pot, a paraffin wax is usually applied to improve the look of the pot. If this is so, you should remove it first.

With a pan, place a terry cloth in the bottom of it and put your teapot on one side and the lid on the other. Put cold water until the pot is covered completely.

Bring the water to a boil and keep it boiling over a low heat for five to thirty minutes. Gently remove the pot from the water and allow to cool a little.

Season the pot with your tea of choice. Brew a strong pot of that particular tea and let it remain in the pot until it gets cool. Next, you should empty the pot, rinse with water, and brew again.

Let the pot cool and empty again. Be reminded that these two seasoning brews are not for drinking. Instead of throwing it away, pour the brew on your plants.

Dry the yixing teapot or air dry completely with the lid off, after each use. Don't make a mistake of putting the lid back on too early because it may encourage mold. Do not use soap, put it in the dishwasher, and only use cool or warm water to rinse your teapot.

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