Yixing Teapots: The Favorite Among Chinese

If you don’t know them yet, let me tell you that Yixing teapots are one of the most famous in the world.

No wonder, since they are made of special purple clay that absorbs the properties of tea for a long time, obtaining better infusions with each use.

Have you heard of Yixing teapots? The Yixing teapot is one of the best-known and most famous teapots in China.

But… what is the particularity of this type of teapot that makes them so special?

First of all, its manufacture. Yixing teapots are produced by hand in the city of the same name.

Yixing, located in the Jiangsu region, has a special purple clay, which is used to make the famous teapots, launching them as one of the most distinguished in the world.

This special type of clay, known as zisha, allows Yixing teapots to have a great capacity to absorb the flavor of the tea, which accumulates in successive preparations.

If you have a Yixing teapot or are about to acquire one, please note that after use, it is recommended that you simply rinse it with water, without using detergent or chemical cleaners.

To give you an idea of the absorbing power this teapot has, it is said that over the years you can brew a good tea in it just by heating some water inside. Hmmm… What do you think, is this possible?

In any case, the production of this type of teapot dates back several centuries, more precisely from the Sung Dynasty, between 960 and 1279.

However, it was not until the 19th century that they began to become more popular throughout Europe, although to tell the truth, it was never possible to achieve an adequate imitation, due to the lack of the famous purple clay from the Yixing area.

What are Yixing teapots like?

As you can see in the picture, these teapots are small, usually for a single cup of tea.

They are derived from primitive cups so they have a similar shape to these. They are also very similar to the pots that are made in the area to contain wine.

All the advantages of Yixing Teapots

• It brings out the aroma and flavor of the tea if you use it properly.
• Holds temperature better than other materials, including iron.
• It supports high temperatures but does not transmit it, so you will not get burned when you hold it.
• They are handmade, so you can look for the author’s stamp on their base.

Nowadays, Yixing teapots are still handmade.

Thus, they preserve their porous finish, without any finish that could interfere with the absorption of the tea flavor.

So if you want to take up the challenge of brewing tea with just water, it’s just a matter of using it enough to try it out and see for yourself, Smiley face.

Have you purchased a Yixing teapot and want to know how to use it for the first time?

• Simply brew tea in it, adding the leaves to hot water (the temperature may vary between different tea types)
• Let infuse for at least one hour.
• Rinse with hot water.
• Let dry.
• Cover and store.

If you have your Yixing clay teapot but still looking for a superb-quality organic tea, Hummingbird Tearoom offers an excellent choice of organic teas that you can order here.