Yixing: Special Teapots for Special Teas!

Yixing : Special Teapots for Special Teas!

Yixing clay teapots (also called “purple sand teapots”) have been made and used in China for tea brewing for roughly 600 years, and with their recent addition to our catalog, the time-honored tradition of using them to brew cherished varieties of tea can be yours! These very special teapots are produced in the region of the town of Yixing (in China’s eastern Jiangsu province), made of a special “purple sand clay” found in that region.

One of the key elements that make yixing teaware special is the slightly porous finish caused by the purple sand clay they’re made from. With repeated use, this slightly porous finish allows a tiny amount of tea to be absorbed into the pot. Over time, the pot will develop a coating that retains the flavor, aroma and often the color of the tea it has been used to brew. For this reason, many tea lovers prefer to dedicate their yixing teapots to a single type of tea - often oolongs. And here’s an important tip: because of yixing teaware’s porous finish, soap should not be used for cleaning. I nstead, yixing teaware should be rinsed with fresh water and allowed to air-dry.