Yixing & Zisha teapots

[jogrebe]

What is the difference between a Yixing and a Zisha teapot?

John Grebe

[Marlene]

Perhaps the most simplistic difference is that a 'yixing' teapot has to be made in the area of Yixing. Kind of like darjeeling tea is supposed to be from Darjeeling, and bordeux is supposed to be from Bordeux. In contrast, a zisha clay pot refers simply to the material the pot is made from. i.e. grapes make wine.
Are there other differences? Probobly, I don't know for sure.

Marlene

[loinguyen]

What is the difference between a Yixing and a Zisha teapot?

John Grebe

- Yixing is the name of the town. It is well-known by making alot of teapot.
- Zisha teapot is the kind of teapot made from Zisha clay and Zisha clay mined in Yixing.

[Frisbeehead]

I believe Yixing is the name of the town that the teapots come from, while Zisha is the actual type of clay mined there. Zhuni would be another type of clay.

[tingjunkie]

The short answer is Yixing and zisha are commonly used interchangeably to describe the same type of teapot. As others have mentioned, Yixing is a city famous for producing these pots, and zisha is a term used for the material. However, zisha (zi = purple, sha = sand) is used both as an umbrella term for all clay from the Yixing area, OR a specific type of fine, high quality purple clay within the family of Yixing clays.

It can be a little confusing at first.