This Shipiao shape Yixing teapot is fully handmade and features a “nihui” style engraving that includes a bird on a branch with a dragonfly that has come to visit. This style of design is achieved by adding small amounts of zisha clay to the surface of the teapot and then hand-sculpting the artwork before firing.

Each of the teapots from this series employs a higher level of craftsmanship and artistry than what is commonly found, which is reflected in the quality and overall fit and finish.

This teapot holds approximately 200ml and features a multihole-flat filter and tight-fitting lid. Due to the shape and construction, this pot gives off a very high pitches and resonant sound when contact is made with the lid. It also includes a certificate from the artist indicating the artist’s name, teapot shape and clay composition.

Please note that the clay type indicated on the certificate reads “original mine da hong pao clay” (原矿大红袍尼). See our blog post for more information on Yixing clay and pots.

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.

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.

Once your receive your new zisha teapot, you may want to season it and prepare it for the many teas and years of use it will experience. Personally, we have shied away from seasoning teapots as time goes on. Not because this process doesn’t help, but because it is extra work and invites the risk of breakage if you’re not careful. Pots made from genuine clay should not exhibit much clay taste of flavour-suck for too long, so we feel a week of consistent use typically sufficient to break in a new pot. More often than not we just rinse a new pot twice with boiling water, then go to town. Simple and easy.

With that said, if you still wish to season your teapot and get a head start, the process is relatively simple:

1. Check for clay deposits and scrape gently with a wooden or bamboo stick if necessary.
2. Place the pot in boiled water and allow to sit for 30-60 minutes. Some may advise letting your teapot simmer in the pot during this time. This is perfectly acceptable, try to avoid letting the teapot is rattle on the side of the boiling pot too much. If you notice this, reduce the heat to a less vigorous boil and always use a cloth or towel to pad the sides.
3. Remove the pot and allow it to dry
4. Using new water, add some new or used tea leaves of the type that you plan to use this pot for, boil, add the teapot and allow it to sit for another 30-60 mins. Again, you can boil the pot with the tea for this duration if you wish, just me careful.
5. Rinse with regular water and allow to dry. Try not to use excessively cold water for this step in order to avoid shocking the pot and causing a potential crack.
6. Repeat as desired
7. Your teapot is ready to be used!

After seasoning your pot, it’s advised to designate the pot for one type of tea (raw puer, ripe puer, oolong, black tea, etc) as the pot will slowly absorb the flavour and characteristics of the tea you use it for.

If for some reason you use it with another type of tea, don’t worry. Your pot is not ruined or tainted. The process of raising it is cumulative and happens over a long period of time – one simple session of brewing with another type of tea won’t make a noticeable difference. However, one thing you should definitely not do is use soap or anything other than water to wash or rinse your pot. If it absorbs the properties of tea over time, it will also absorb anything else you put in it, especially anything perfumed or scented.