Description

One of the more unique designs we’ve come across, these tea trays are made from 100% Yixing zini clay by an artist in Jingdezhen. He developed his skills while studying teapot making in Yixing, but eventually left for Jingdezhen in order to develop his own identity and pursue less traditional designs.

Although made in Jingdezhen, these trays still use pure Yixing zini clay and are fired at a temperature between 1150-1180c. These are considered half handmade, which means that they are hand-formed with the assistance of a mold. There is still a high level of detail finishing by hand in order to achieve the final appearance of these patented design teacups. The surface of the tray has been glazed to produce a more realistic moon-effect.

These tea trays are available in small (~15cm diameter) or large (~19-22.5cm diameter) size. Please make a selection below to confirm the size.

Zisha (紫砂, lit. “purple sand”) clay from Yixing is valued largely due to the porous nature of the clay. As you use it, oils from your tea enter the pot, which can in turn season it and enhance the flavour of the tea you use it with over time. For this reason, we recommend dedicating your new Yixing teapot to one type of tea only (raw puer, shou puer, aged puer, black, dancong, yancha, etc) and never washing it with soap or anything else besides water. Please see the care instructions tab above for more details on seasoning and maintaining your teapot.

We recommend testing this teapot with different types of tea and deciding for yourself which type is most suitable, as there are no hard and fast rules for clay and tea type pairings. However, the conventional advice is that more porous clays are suitable for shou puer, humid stored aged raw puer and higher roasted wulongs, such as many Yancha. This is due to the higher porosity of the clay, which can help “clear up” the tea by reducing excessive storage or roasting flavour.

Additionally, a patina or surface shine will develop on the outside of the teapot due to its interaction with the tea, providing an aesthetic enhancement. Functionally, zisha teapots also have very good heat retention qualities.

Additional information