I'm new to this site but I've been interested in tea a few years now while living in southern China. I got this teapot a few days ago at a relatively new tea market down the street and I'm wondering if anyone has any comments on the type of clay it looks like it's made of. When I bought it they told me it was da'hong'pao zhu'ni but after reading some articles and forums online it sounds like zhu'ni is extremely rare and expensive (I paid about $300 for the teapot or 1850 RMB). Could it possibly be hong'ni or some other type of more common zi'sha clay? I understand it's hard to tell from pictures but any thoughts would be great. I was also told it's totally hand made and it came with a little book about the guy who made it and what it's made out of. Also, if anyone wants to suggest the best tea type to brew in it that would be appreciated as well. Thanks!
Type of Clay
Hello everyone,
I'm new to this site but I've been interested in tea a few years now while living in southern China. I got this teapot a few days ago at a relatively new tea market down the street and I'm wondering if anyone has any comments on the type of clay it looks like it's made of. When I bought it they told me it was da'hong'pao zhu'ni but after reading some articles and forums online it sounds like zhu'ni is extremely rare and expensive (I paid about $300 for the teapot or 1850 RMB). Could it possibly be hong'ni or some other type of more common zi'sha clay? I understand it's hard to tell from pictures but any thoughts would be great. I was also told it's totally hand made and it came with a little book about the guy who made it and what it's made out of. Also, if anyone wants to suggest the best tea type to brew in it that would be appreciated as well. Thanks!
I'm new to this site but I've been interested in tea a few years now while living in southern China. I got this teapot a few days ago at a relatively new tea market down the street and I'm wondering if anyone has any comments on the type of clay it looks like it's made of. When I bought it they told me it was da'hong'pao zhu'ni but after reading some articles and forums online it sounds like zhu'ni is extremely rare and expensive (I paid about $300 for the teapot or 1850 RMB). Could it possibly be hong'ni or some other type of more common zi'sha clay? I understand it's hard to tell from pictures but any thoughts would be great. I was also told it's totally hand made and it came with a little book about the guy who made it and what it's made out of. Also, if anyone wants to suggest the best tea type to brew in it that would be appreciated as well. Thanks!
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Re: Type of Clay
They mix clays a lot nowadays, unfortunately. Yes it's the Da Hong Pao which is a mix of who knows what (from Sichuan area). I call it chemical clay. 
In the past, I had a pot made of this clay and got rid of it. Spoiled all my brews. I didn't like it either. Softish and dull.
Old zhuni ---> hard to find. You need contacts for this.
Modern zhuni ---> not so hard to find. Reputable sellers will provide you with pots made of this clay. It is zhuni mined from newer mines. Further info here:
viewtopic.php?t=15993&start=60
In the past, I had a pot made of this clay and got rid of it. Spoiled all my brews. I didn't like it either. Softish and dull.
Old zhuni ---> hard to find. You need contacts for this.
Modern zhuni ---> not so hard to find. Reputable sellers will provide you with pots made of this clay. It is zhuni mined from newer mines. Further info here:
viewtopic.php?t=15993&start=60
Last edited by bagua7 on May 28th, '18, 01:45, edited 1 time in total.
May 28th, '18, 01:45
Posts: 151
Joined: Oct 24th, '17, 12:41
Location: Amsterdam
Re: Type of Clay
Looks really good. Does it brew well? For a teapot of this kind of price, I guess the best would be to dedicate to the tea type you drink the most.
Re: Type of Clay
Thanks for the reply. I think it brews quite well. If my understanding is correct, it's a high-fired clay (it sounds like a bell when you tap it) so I've been trying white tea in it and been impressed with the taste compared to gai'wan.12Tea wrote: Looks really good. Does it brew well? For a teapot of this kind of price, I guess the best would be to dedicate to the tea type you drink the most.
Re: Type of Clay
Would you say that it's a threat to my health since you call it "chemical clay"? I asked about whether or not it was mixed (ping'ni) and they told me it was pure (qing'shui'ni) but that's just taking them at their word since I'm not an expert. I enjoy everything about it so as long as it's clean I'm happy. I've brewed white tea in it a few times and thought it was comparable to a gai'wan. Thanks for the info.bagua7 wrote: They mix clays a lot nowadays, unfortunately. Yes it's the Da Hong Pao which is a mix of who knows what (from Sichuan area). I call it chemical clay.
In the past, I had a pot made of this clay and got rid of it. Spoiled all my brews. I didn't like it either. Softish and dull.
Old zhuni ---> hard to find. You need contacts for this.
Modern zhuni ---> not so hard to find. Reputable sellers will provide you with pots made of this clay. It is zhuni mined from newer mines. Further info here:
viewtopic.php?t=15993&start=60
Re: Type of Clay
If it's pure QSN why call it DHP zhuni in the first place? I find this very odd. If it's a sales pitch then it makes sense but still I personally wouldn't buy pots from such a seller.
If you are happy with the pot because it brews good tea, then keep using it.
If you are happy with the pot because it brews good tea, then keep using it.
Re: Type of Clay
It's modern zhuni. Don't get too caught up with names like DHP, etc. Also trust your own senses. Does the pot have any unpleasant or chemical smell after you put hot water in it? Does it make plain water taste harsh or give you a scratchy feeling in the throat? If no, then it's great!
Bagua tends to think everything made after 1982 is toxic, and takes a hammer to pots that don't meet his approval, so take his opinion with a grain of salt.
All of that being said, if you're willing to spend that much cash on your first pots, I would recommend purchasing a simple 70's/80's F1 pot from a reliable vendor so you can get an idea of what classic Yixing clay is all about.
Bagua tends to think everything made after 1982 is toxic, and takes a hammer to pots that don't meet his approval, so take his opinion with a grain of salt.
All of that being said, if you're willing to spend that much cash on your first pots, I would recommend purchasing a simple 70's/80's F1 pot from a reliable vendor so you can get an idea of what classic Yixing clay is all about.
Re: Type of Clay
Don't exaggerate!tingjunkie wrote: Bagua tends to think everything made after 1982 is toxic, and takes a hammer to pots that don't meet his approval, so take his opinion with a grain of salt.
Newer pots tend to be made using mixed clays (nothing wrong with that if we are talking about clay and not unwanted extras). Not all are like that though, you can buy pots made from pure clay too.
Btw, I destroyed a bad pot from that infamous Yixing vendor. That zini pot was a bad fake with probably 10% zini in it and the rest various elements from the periodic table.
Re: Type of Clay
Here's some modern DHP clay teapots and qing shui ni teapots at Yunnan Sourcing for comparison. May help you narrow it down. If its like the YS DHP clay teapots, I find this clay acts similar to porcelain as you mentioned. Its considerably more heavy than any other teapot I've used and cools of very quickly (doesn't retain heat). At times I wondered if it was a metal teapot coated in clay sort of like enameled cast iron...or just my mind wandering.
https://yunnansourcing.com/search?q=da+hong+pao+clay
https://yunnansourcing.com/search?q=qing+shui+ni+clay
https://yunnansourcing.com/search?q=da+hong+pao+clay
https://yunnansourcing.com/search?q=qing+shui+ni+clay