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Yixing clay teapots (simplified Chinese :宜兴; traditional Chinese :宜興; pinyin :Yíxīng; Wade–Giles :I-Hsing), also called Zisha teapot (Chinese:紫砂; pinyin:zǐshā; Wade–Giles:tsu sha; lit.'Purple clay'), [1] are made from Yixing clay. This traditional style commonly used to brew tea originated in China, dating back to the 15th century, and are made from clay produced near Yixing in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu.
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Archaeological excavations reveal that as early as the Song dynasty (10th century) potters near Yixing were using local "zisha" (紫砂 or 紫泥 ; literally, "purple sand/clay") to make utensils that may have functioned as teapots. According to the Ming dynasty author Zhou Gaoqi, during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor, a monk from Jinsha Temple (Golden Sand Temple) in Yixing handcrafted a fine quality teapot from local clay. Such teapots soon became popular with the scholarly class, and the fame of Yixing teapots began to spread.
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Yíxīng teapots are actually made in nearby Dīngshān, also known as Dingshu, [2] on the west side of Lake Tai. [3] Hundreds of teapot shops line the edges of the town's crowded streets and it is a popular tourist destination for many Chinese. While Dīngshān is home to dozens of ceramics factories, Yíxīng Zǐshā Factory Number 1, which opened in 1958,[ citation needed ] processes a large part of the clay used in the region, produces fine pottery ware, and has a large commercial showroom. In addition to the better known teapots, tea pets, oil and grain jars, flower vases, figurines, glazed tiles, tables, ornamental rocks, and even ornamental waste bins are all manufactured in the community.[ citation needed ]
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Yixing teapots are intended for puer, black, and oolong teas. [4] They can also be used for green or white teas; however, the heat retention characteristics of Yixing makes the brewing process extremely difficult; and in such cases, the water must be heated to no greater than 85 °C (185 °F), before pouring into the teapot. A famous characteristic of Yixing teapots is their ability to absorb trace amounts of brewed tea flavors and minerals into the teapot with each brewing. Over time, these accumulate to give each Yixing teapot its own unique interior coating that flavors and colors future brewings. It is for this reason that soap is not recommended for cleaning Yixing teapots, but instead, fresh distilled water and air drying. Many tea connoisseurs will steep only one type of tea in a particular Yixing teapot, so that future brewings of the same type of tea will be optimally enhanced. In contrast, brewing many different types of tea in a Yixing pot is likely to create a coating of mishmashed flavors that muddy the taste of future brewings.
Some Yixing teapots are smaller than their western counterparts as the tea is often brewed using the gongfu style of brewing: shorter steeping durations with smaller amounts of water and smaller teacups (compared to western-style brewing). Traditionally, the tea from the teapot is poured into either a small pitcher, from which it is then poured into a teacup that holds approximately 30 ml or less of liquid, allowing the tea to be quickly and repeatedly ingested before it becomes cooled, or into several teacups for guests.
Prices can vary from a couple dozen to thousands of yuan. [5] A pot was auctioned in 2010 for 12.32 million yuan. [6] Generally, the price of Yixing teapots is dependent on factors such as age, clay, artist, style and production methods. The more expensive pots are shaped by hand using wooden and bamboo tools to manipulate the clay into form, while cheaper Yixing pots are produced by slipcasting.
The type of clay used has a great impact on the characteristics of the teapot. There are three major colour types of Zisha clays: Purple, Red, and Beige. [7] Duan ni is a symbiosis of various clays and will normally turn into beige colour after firing. A subtype of the purple variety, called Tianqing clay, has historically been the most sought-after due to its rarity. It was said that Tianqing clay was exhausted, but it is suggested that it is not the case. [7] Tianqing clay was scarce only in the Ming dynasty as the excavation skills and technologies were limited. It was difficult for potters to excavate purple clay as the clay were normally located 30 meters below the surface. With the technology advancement, the excavation of purple clay has flourished, so has Tianqing clay.
Tianqing clay is distinguished from the generic purple type by:
The teapot 風卷葵壺 made by Yang FengNian in the Qing dynasty was made from Tianqing clay. The teapot is now owned by the Yixing Ceramic Museum.
| Picture | Name | Main colors | Feel and look very sandy, extreme permeability | Shiny or metallic | Odd coloration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Yixing teapot with Shao Hengyu mark | Blue or dark grey, or greenish (after usage or soaked in water for a week) | Yes | Yes | No |
 | Yixing teapot with Yang Pengnian mark | Dark liver | Yes | Yes | No |
 | Yixing teapot with Shi Jichang mark | Green, with multiple purple areas | Yes | Yes | Yes |
 | Yixing teapot with Qingquan Meiyu mark | Dark liver, green for thin areas (after soaked in water for a week) | Not obviously | Yes for green areas | Dark liver color and green color at the same time |
 | Yixing teapot with Chen Mingyuan mark | Dark liver, plus Blue or Dark Grey, and Green particles | Yes | Yes | Dark liver, blue or dark grey, and green particles at the same time |
Oolong (, ; simplified Chinese: 乌龙茶; traditional Chinese: 烏龍茶 is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea produced through a process that includes withering the leaves under strong sun and allowing some oxidation to occur before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties. The degree of oxidation, which is controlled by the length of time between picking and final drying, can range from 8% to 85% depending on the variety and production style. Oolong is especially popular in southeastern China and among ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia, as is the Fujian preparation process known as the gongfu tea ceremony.
A teapot is a vessel used for steeping tea leaves or a herbal mix in boiling or near-boiling water, and for serving the resulting infusion which is called tea. It is one of the core components of teaware. Dry tea is available either in tea bags or as loose tea, in which case a tea infuser or tea strainer may be of some assistance, either to hold the leaves as they steep or to catch the leaves inside the teapot when the tea is poured. Teapots usually have an opening with a lid at their top, where the dry tea and hot water are added, a handle for holding by hand and a spout through which the tea is served. Some teapots have a strainer built-in on the inner edge of the spout. A small air hole in the lid is often created to stop the spout from dripping and splashing when tea is poured. In modern times, a thermally insulating cover called a tea cosy may be used to enhance the steeping process or to prevent the contents of the teapot from cooling too rapidly.
Chinese tea culture includes all facets of tea, both physical and spiritual, that have significantly influenced Chinese culture throughout history. Physically, it consists of the history of tea cultivation, brewing, serving techniques, methods of consumption, arts, and the tea ceremony. Tea culture is to take tea as a carrier, and through this carrier to spread various arts. Tea culture is an integral part of traditional Chinese culture. Tea culture is the organic fusion of tea and culture, which contains and embodies the manifestation of a certain period of material and spiritual civilization. Tea culture is the combination of tea art and spirit, and the expression of tea art through Spirituality. It emerged in China in the Tang dynasty, flourished in the Song and Ming dynasties, and declined in the Qing dynasty.
Yixing is a county-level city administered under the prefecture-level city of Wuxi in southern Jiangsu province, China, and is part of the Yangtze River Delta. The city is known for its traditional Yixing clay ware tea pots. It is a pene-exclave with Changzhou. The city spans an area of 1,996.6 square kilometres (770.9 sq mi), and has a registered hukou population of about 1,075,800 as of 2020.
Teaware is a broad international spectrum of equipment used in the brewing and consumption of tea. Many components make up that spectrum, and vary greatly based upon the type of tea being prepared, and the cultural setting in which it is being prepared. This is often referred to as the tea ceremony, and holds much significance in many cultures, particularly in northwestern Europe and in eastern Asia. A complete, cohesive collection of tea ware makes up a tea set.
Yixing clay is a type of clay from the region near the city of Yixing in Jiangsu Province, China, used in Chinese pottery since the Song dynasty (960–1279) when Yixing clay was first mined around China's Lake Tai. From the 17th century on, Yixing wares were commonly exported to Europe. The finished stoneware, which is used for teaware and other small items, is usually red or brown in colour. Also known as zisha (宜興紫砂) ware, they are typically left unglazed and use clays that are very cohesive and can form coils, slabs and most commonly slip casts. These clays can also be formed by throwing. The best known wares made from Yixing clay are Yixing clay teapots, tea pets, and other teaware.
Shoumei is a white tea that is produced from naturally withered upper leaf and tips, with a stronger flavor reminiscent of lighter oolong teas. It is mostly grown in Fujian Province and Guangxi Province in China. Because it is plucked later than Bai Mudan, the tea may be darker in color, but it should still have a proportionate green color. Some lower grades of Shou Mei may be golden in color with many black and red leaves, making a darker brew with more depth.
A tea set or tea service is a collection of matching teaware and related utensils used in the preparation and serving of tea. The traditional components of a tea set may vary between societies and cultures.
Gongfu tea or kung fu tea, literally "making tea with skill", is a traditional Chinese tea preparation method sometimes called a "tea ceremony". It is probably based on the tea preparation approaches originating in Fujian and the Chaoshan area of eastern Guangdong. The practice involves using smaller brewing vessels and a higher leaf-to-water ratio than in Western-style brewing. Today, the approach is used popularly by teashops carrying tea of Chinese or Taiwanese origin, and by aficionados and trained masters as a way to fully realize the taste of a tea selection, especially a finer one.
A gaiwan or zhong (盅) is a Chinese lidded bowl without a handle, used for the infusion of tea leaves and the consumption of tea. It was invented during the Ming dynasty. It consists of a bowl, a lid, and a saucer.
Tibetan cuisine includes the culinary traditions and practices of the Tibetan people in the Tibet region. The cuisine reflects the Tibetan landscape of mountains and plateaus and includes influences from neighbors. It is known for its use of noodles, goat, yak, mutton, dumplings, cheese, butter, yogurt, and soups. Vegetarianism has been debated by religious practitioners since the 11th century but is not prevalent due to the difficulty of growing vegetables, and cultural traditions promoting consumption of meat.
On Yixing Teapots is a treatise on Yixing clay teapots written by Ming Dynasty author Zhou Gaoqi in the Chongzhen era ca. 1640. In this book, Zhou provides a detailed account of the origin and history of Yixing teapots, followed by an account of the great masters and their disciples.
Chen Jiru was a Chinese landscape painter, calligrapher and essayist during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Luzhou Laojiao Co. Ltd.(Chinese: 泸州老窖股份有限公司), or simply Luzhou Laojiao is a company headquartered in Luzhou, Sichuan, China that specializes in the production, sale, and distribution of baijiu. The distillery produces baijiu that is characteristic of the Nongxiang style of baijiu; so much so that the category had originally been named "luxiang" for the Luzhou Laojiao distillery itself where it was believed the style had been developed. Today Luzhou Laojiao is ranked as the fourth most valuable spirits brand internationally.
Yixing Factory Number One is the oldest teapot factory in China. The factory houses skilled artisans who set strict standards for their work.
Tea Pet or Tea Lover's Pet, also known as Chachong, is a small pottery figure which is kept by some tea drinkers for good luck. They are usually made of "zisha" or Yixing clay, from the region near Yixing in Jiangsu province, China. Similar to Yixing teapots made from the same clay, tea pets are unglazed, and are mostly monochromatic with a rough surface.
Gu Jingzhou simplified Chinese: 顾景舟; traditional Chinese: 顧景舟; pinyin: Gù Jǐngzhōu was a Chinese ceramic artist who specialised in the creation of zisha-ware teapots. He was a founder and Deputy Director of Research and Technology at the Number One Yixing Factory.
Rose Kerr is an English art historian specializing in Chinese art, especially Chinese ceramics, on which she has written a number of books. After studying Mandarin and Chinese art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (1971–75), she worked at the Percival David Foundation (1976–78). She joined the Far Eastern Department of the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1978. She became the Keeper of the Far Eastern Department in 1987, a post she held until her retirement in 2003.
Qian Yingying is a Chinese ceramic artist, who specializes in the Yixing ware (Zisha) skill of “Hua Genre”. Doctor of Philosophy Nanjing University. The Great master of Arts and crafts, Craftsman of Jiangsu province. The generation inheritor of Hua Genera Zisha, The Leader of time-honored brand. The member of Specialized Committee of Young and Middle-Aged Talents of China Arts and Crafts Association
Teapot may refer to:
