Official/Different Yixing Show Off Topic!

[David R.]

Here it is.

[needaTEAcher]

Istari,

Welcome to teachat! That is a lovely pot. Can you post some of your others?

[ImmortaliTEA]

Ah David...have you posted any pictures on this forum of that teapot?

Since it is zini clay I assume it will season quicker than a less absorptive clay like Hongni. It is also med-high fired instead of high fired so that may help as well. These are mere speculations. I suppose we can never actually predict how any one pot will season 20-30 years from now.

One would think that Hong Ni would be part of the "more porous/absorptive" category of clay types considering that it has a lower minimum firing temperature of 1100 degrees when compared with zini which is 1180 degrees. I have tried to find this out online but can't find a definitive answer although almost everyone online says that they think Hong Ni is a much less porous clay type. Obviously firing has much more to do with porosity than clay itself but I'm just talking about the clay qualities if fired similarly. If someone could post a list of the most commonly used clays for yixing teapots in order of porosity I would love to see it because based on all the Hong Ni teapots I have used it seems to be more porous than people are making it out to be!

In the past I have heard people speak of how they like to buy hongni teapots for lighter more floral oolongs. I assumed this is because they are less porous and would absorb less of the subtle flavors.

I have heard this said about Zhu Ni and possibly High Fired Hong Ni but any clay that's high fired will drastically reduce the porosity of that clay in particular. However, I have spoken to a few very knowledgable tea cognoscenti that have said that in a non high fired version of Hong Ni it can be quite porous even more porous than many other clay types. For example, when I first started getting into yixings I bought a Hong Ni teapot from the apprentice collection on Red Blossom and it was medium fired and extremely porous (perfect for puerh imho). But I also bought a pot from another vendor that was a very high fired Hong Ni and resembled Zhu Ni almost identically, however, although it showed the true character of the tea without muting much aroma, it did still round out certain unpleasant tastes/astringencies as well as thicken the mouthfeel. So to me this proved Hong Ni has quite a bit of porosity even when high fired, especially in comparison to the high fired Lu Ni and Duan Ni teapots I have that didnt end up muting much more than the Hong Ni even though those two clays are known to be among the most sandy/porous. I'm not sure if my deductions are plausible but I would really appreciate if someone with more knowledge than I could add their two cents.

[ImmortaliTEA]

Here it is.

What do you think of the clay in this pot? I have the same pot and it has had very serious difficulties choosing a tea as its mate! Seems to be a finicky brewer. Any recommendations?

[bagua7]

One would think that Hong Ni would be part of the "more porous/absorptive" category of clay types considering that it has a lower minimum firing temperature of 1100 degrees when compared with zini which is 1180 degrees. I have tried to find this out online but can't find a definitive answer although almost everyone online says that they think Hong Ni is a much less porous clay type.

The firing temperature list was posted in this forum a while ago:

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... g&start=15

Zhu ni vs hong ni commentary in this excellent blog discussion:

http://houdeblog.com/?p=130

Have you realised about the gravity of your question? Which particular ore, which dynasty, which year?

[David R.]

Here it is.

What do you think of the clay in this pot? I have the same pot and it has had very serious difficulties choosing a tea as its mate! Seems to be a finicky brewer. Any recommendations?

After several attempts, this one will ultimately go with very young puerh. I used it for a while with a very nice Mengku brick I had and the result was smooth, rich and long. But right now, my teapots are taking a vacation and I only use porcelain, so I don't know yet how it will evolve with time when used with the same tea. It is the only zini (porous) teapot I have. The rest is more zhuni like. That's why I was asking you in fact, as you have the exact same clay.

It seems to perform well also with old puerh and yancha.

[Tead Off]

One would think that Hong Ni would be part of the "more porous/absorptive" category of clay types considering that it has a lower minimum firing temperature of 1100 degrees when compared with zini which is 1180 degrees. I have tried to find this out online but can't find a definitive answer although almost everyone online says that they think Hong Ni is a much less porous clay type.

The firing temperature list was posted in this forum a while ago:

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... g&start=15

Zhu ni vs hong ni commentary in this excellent blog discussion:

http://houdeblog.com/?p=130

Have you realised about the gravity of your question? Which particular ore, which dynasty, which year?

Chart says zhuni firing at 1165-1700℃. This must be a typo. Not even porcelain is fired that high.

[Istari]

Sorry guys, this response is late. I was pretty caught up on that whole fake 7542 puerhshop thing.

Anyway, David...that looks like a fantastic teapot. I would agree it looks like it would do really well with puerh. I would think a young puerh would do well with this more porous zini. Young sheng is really "volatile" (so to speak) and it would make sense zini clay would do well to curb out this volatility. Its impossible for me to say though because every teapot does well with its own tea. Do you mind me asking the vendor?

Needateacher...I am embarrassed to say, but the teapot I pictured was really my only nice teapot. I have others, but they are all "tuition teapots."

[Chip]

I was pretty caught up on that whole fake 7542 puerhshop thing.

... alleged fake 7542 puerhshop thing.

[ImmortaliTEA]

Sorry guys, this response is late. I was pretty caught up on that whole fake 7542 puerhshop thing.

Anyway, David...that looks like a fantastic teapot. I would agree it looks like it would do really well with puerh. I would think a young puerh would do well with this more porous zini. Young sheng is really "volatile" (so to speak) and it would make sense zini clay would do well to curb out this volatility. Its impossible for me to say though because every teapot does well with its own tea. Do you mind me asking the vendor?

Needateacher...I am embarrassed to say, but the teapot I pictured was really my only nice teapot. I have others, but they are all "tuition teapots."

I can answer the which vendor question as I have the exact same teapot. The are a series of shui pings that were added to Essence of Tea's yixing selection at the same time as the 150 ml larger and taller version that you have: 150ml Zini Xian Piao by Wuxing Shan Fang. Yours, mine, and David's are all from the same source and made from the same clay and maker. I personally have quite a few different Pin Zi Ni, Zi Ni, Aged Zi Ni, and Zi Sha (Last two possibly the same in some cases) teapots from many different sources and this one happens to be the hardest to pair out of any of them so I guess the best bet would be to use it for Young Sheng Puerh because every other tea I have personally tried with this clay came out inferior to all my other clay types, but young sheng is one I haven't tried yet so I'll give that a go and I'll post my results as soon as I have something good!

[Istari]

I was pretty caught up on that whole fake 7542 puerhshop thing.

... alleged fake 7542 puerhshop thing.

I apologize Chip you are right. I don't want to hurt any vendors, and absolutely nothing is proven.


Immortalitea- I am looking forward to your findings! Best of luck!

[TIM]

Gun powder Black, Pear Skin. I call it ugly egg.
High Fired, Thin walled, Perfect with High Mountain Taiwanese Oolong.
What clay would you say

[teaisme]

ooooooo trick question its not clay its dragon skin

[Poohblah]

Gun powder Black, Pear Skin. I call it ugly egg.
High Fired, Thin walled, Perfect with High Mountain Taiwanese Oolong.
What clay would you say

Looks like a ripe avocado to me!

[TIM]

Ripe avocado is a good call Poohblah. I have to introduce more avocado recipes in Asia.