yixing

This is Part Two in a two part series about evaluating Yixing pots. It is inspired in part by Michael Wong of The Tea Gallery And Now the Conclusion… After testing the pot with water, the logical next step is to add tea to the equation. The most obvious thing to do might be to add some leaves, hot water, and taste some tea. Instead, this test allows you to diminish the differences in thermal properties or pour times that might add variables in such an experiment, and focus for the moment on the effect of the clay on the tea liquor.

This is Part One in a two part series about evaluating Yixing pots. It is inspired in part by Michael Wong of The Tea Gallery. The world of Yixing teapots can sometimes seem a daunting mystery. Among tea lovers, few subjects garner so many strong opinions. Preferences among collectors can be based on size or shape of the pot, the type or quality of clay, age, or craftsmanship. In this short series, we make no claims about the desirability of any of the above properties.

Our friend Evan has been prototyping travel pouches for Yixing, made from fine silk (with some additional padding.) The quality and construction have advanced rapidly, and he is ready to show off. Check them out and drop him a line - I collaborated to fit some common sizes, but they can be custom made to your own specifications. Larger sizes are also good for your favorite chawan.

We made our second trip to the Royal Orchid Tea Museum, currently under a serious program of improvements. The event carried a water theme - an exhibition of Shui Pin Yixing teapots from Ming to modern, and, a sampling of several Shui Xian teas. I offered two pots of my own - 1970s hong ni and 1930s zi ni. Kai suggested my elder pot was originally made for export to Japan.