Yixing dedication criteria - what clay/shape for what tea?

[tingjunkie]

[
I've got a new zhuni pot that brews DHP with amazing results. The teapot is high fired, with a very high ringing pitch to the teapot. But when you brew RouGui in the same teapot, it's a huge disappointment! I have friends who have the same RuoGui tea as I do and his Zhuni teapot brews an excellent round of RouGui! Trying to eliminate the possibility of brewing errors in the hands of the master brewer, we switched teapots and brewed again... the results are the same! His Zhuni brews RouGui better than mine!

OMT- That's a great illustration of the complexities of Yixing clay and how you can't always predict how a certain pot will handle tea until you use it. Thanks for sharing. Can I ask if there were differences in the shapes and thicknesses of the two pots?

[oldmanteapot]

Can I ask if there were differences in the shapes and thicknesses of the two pots?

Yes there were. I can't recall exactly what the differences are, but the only common similarity shared between both pots was that both were made of Zhuni. We didn't measure the amount of water or tea that went into the pot. Just a simple scoop and brew

Factors like thickness, firing temperature, density and purity plays a role in influencing the end result of the brew. IMO, there are not exact science or formula to follow when it comes to buying and more so, pairing a Yixing teapot with a well matched tea. Most of the the time, it's done by trial and error. After you've gained enough experience, you'll have a better idea on how best to match them together.

Cheers!!

[tingjunkie]

Factors like thickness, firing temperature, density and purity plays a role in influencing the end result of the brew. IMO, there are not exact science or formula to follow when it comes to buying and more so, pairing a Yixing teapot with a well matched tea. Most of the the time, it's done by trial and error. After you've gained enough experience, you'll have a better idea on how best to match them together.

Just barely starting to get a handle on this. Hopefully the new thread I started will help us beginners in this regard.

[JustinW]

One thing I want to add is thermal conductivity. Lower thermal conductivity = higher protective ability and that's one trait of yixing teapot. Even more if it's unporous clay like Zhuni where their density won't likely let the heat out, so Zhuni pots often made thinner cos thicker Zhuni would rather 'cook' the leaves. Having said that, high temperature brewing teas like Pu Er, thicker pots are rather recommended and lighter sophiscated tea like Gao Shan do the opposite.

This puts things into perspective. Does this apply to 'modern' zhuni?

I'm looking around for a pot for Wuyi, and was set on a thicker pot, but now I see that a medium-thin Zhuni should work.

[bagua7]

Bumping a good old thread. OK here's the Hou De blog entry mentioned earlier:

http://houdeasianart.com/teablog/commen ... 002-163533

So the golden rule of thumb is:

The lower the oxidation/roasting level of the tea (green, white, li shan oolong, etc.) the wider, flatter teapots should be used because they tend to dissipate heat faster. As the oxidation/roasting degree increases, the teapot should become taller and thinner.

However this principle is further influenced by the following factors: firing, clay quality, body thickness, craftsmanship, ambient conditions, etc.

BUT both the general rule and its parameters are overruled by the following second rule:

"The teapot picks the tea".

For example, I recently purchased a tall and thin, high-fired 90mL lu ni pot which I thought would suit well quality high-roasted TGY. I was wrong, the pot didn't really like it but loved medium-fired Rou Gui oolong instead. Talk about "I think X tea will suit Y pot."

[Tead Off]

Shape will often determine what teas go in what teapots. Long dancong leaves as well as some wuyi teas won't fit easily into round or taller teapots and more vertically oriented gaiwans. It's logical to use wider teapots for these type teas. Taiwan oolongs and black teas in general have always done well in my high fired zhuni and hongni pots. Wuyi teas seem to do well also in red clay. I like Puerh is zisha and gaiwan. I don't see any fast and hard rules, though.

[yanom]

dissipate heat faster

Is this referring to when the water is in the pot, or the between-steeps period? If it's the first case, does that mean it's accepted that the best way to brew greener teas is at a high-ish temperature which quickly decreases?

[chrl42]

Such an old thread. Feeling embarrassed for saying such words Those are days for me of curiousity, I realized I'd better follow a tradition and authorities.

I pretty much agree Jing's statements, wide shape for green and tall shape for black is understandable and many books say that, too. Back then, Yixing teapots were so huge, and they'd drink straightly from it

Nowadays' using small cups/pots with multiple brewing was rather new one (in old time), and they called it 'Gongfucha', southern-style tea-brewing was invented for Oolong because little size can protect aroma of tea leaves. Many Gongfu Yixings are small, round, thin and Zhuni (best known for aromatic drinking). Gongfu drinking is now replacing none-Oolong vendors in China.

Puerh has been around just decades, but they seem to play a fantastic match with Yixing teapot, too. So it's something to try a new method, rather I think.

[TIM]

Such an old thread. Feeling embarrassed for saying such words Those are days for me of curiousity, I realized I'd better follow a tradition and authorities.

I pretty much agree Jing's statements, wide shape for green and tall shape for black is understandable and many books say that, too. Back then, Yixing teapots were so huge, and they'd drink straightly from it

Nowadays' using small cups/pots with multiple brewing was rather new one (in old time), and they called it 'Gongfucha', southern-style tea-brewing was invented for Oolong because little size can protect aroma of tea leaves. Many Gongfu Yixings are small, round, thin and Zhuni (best known for aromatic drinking). Gongfu drinking is now replacing none-Oolong vendors in China.

Puerh has been around just decades, but they seem to play a fantastic match with Yixing teapot, too. So it's something to try a new method, rather I think.

What are you talking about C?
Gongfu is a new method? Puerh drinking also??

[chrl42]

Such an old thread. Feeling embarrassed for saying such words Those are days for me of curiousity, I realized I'd better follow a tradition and authorities.

I pretty much agree Jing's statements, wide shape for green and tall shape for black is understandable and many books say that, too. Back then, Yixing teapots were so huge, and they'd drink straightly from it

Nowadays' using small cups/pots with multiple brewing was rather new one (in old time), and they called it 'Gongfucha', southern-style tea-brewing was invented for Oolong because little size can protect aroma of tea leaves. Many Gongfu Yixings are small, round, thin and Zhuni (best known for aromatic drinking). Gongfu drinking is now replacing none-Oolong vendors in China.

Puerh has been around just decades, but they seem to play a fantastic match with Yixing teapot, too. So it's something to try a new method, rather I think.

What are you talking about C?
Gongfu is a new method? Puerh drinking also??

Ya know first script of mentioning gongfu style brewing was Qianlong period (18th c) and 'gongfu' word Jiaqing (19th c), those Shi Dabin/Chen Mingyuan's pot weren't used for Gongfu, apparently.

Pu has been drunk since Qing dynasty, but only in Beijing by Manchurians. I don't know if they used Yixing, either. It's clear Puerh has gone to the maintream by the Taiwanese from 50's. I thought it needed time and popularity for tea/yixing match to become 'culture'

[TIM]

How about Ming Dynasty small pot C?

[chrl42]

How about Ming Dynasty small pot C?

I remember reading Han Qilou's book, Ming dynasty's small pots are Qing dynasty's middle-sized pot..Hui Mengchen was known as Ming dynasty person but there isn't a pot truly certificated to be made by him...

Han's book says, Ming dynasty people drunk one-time straightly from a huge Yixing, then last pouring would be very bitter (even though sand-texture rounds out the bitterness). Over time they realized smaller one are more practical to use, and pot size became smaller since then...

[TIM]

So, have you seen, hold and use a Ming small Yixing before? Or it's from book knowledge?

[chrl42]

So, have you seen, hold and use a Ming small Yixing before? Or it's from book knowledge?

My point here is, not small Yixing existed in Ming dynasty or not. It was just not a culture.

[TIM]

Well Chri. You are right that it's not a culture in the North for Kung-fu Cha, but it's a tradition in the South where they been cultivating Wuyi and Anxi oolong.

Here is a story of a smallest pair:
http://www.marshaln.com/2012/03/made-during-the-ming/