Official/Different Yixing Show Off Topic!

[tst]

Seems like the lighting condition changed?

Definitely between the first and second sets. Second and third sets look to have more similar lighting.

[Maxwell2079]

Im no photographer Boss Its certainly more blue in the hue at those cold winter light.

[amaranto]

I recently ordered my first Yixing teapot (below), and I know nothing about how to judge the quality of these, so I would appreciate any comments here. I ordered it from an online retailer, and I imagine it is not a high-quality pot. It cost around US$40.00.

- Clay type: I'm guessing zisha based on the color and my research—maybe a low- to mid-fire. I'm having a hard time figuring this out.
- Size of pot: 120 mL/4 oz
- The pot was most likely made this decade.
- The walls feel pretty thick and dense.
- 12-second pour.
- I bought the pot from Golden Teahouse. They sell several of these, so I doubt it's one-of-a-kind. It has some irregularities leading me to believe it may be handmade.
- I've been using it to make oolongs of different types.
- I'm trying to slowly season the pot by consistently brewing oolongs in it. I've found that it brings out the deeper floral notes in later steeps compared to glass and ceramic teaware.

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[tingjunkie]

Welcome to the club amaranto! The clay of your pot is most likely zini (purple clay) rather than zisha (purple sand). This gets very confusing when many people still call ANY Yixing clay zisha, regardless of color. Telling the difference between zini and zisha can be very tricky for a beginner. Real zisha has: a uniformed sandy texture, usually has different colored grains of sand visible when looking very closely at the clay, and often has a soft buttery glow. I know for me it's taken a lot of practice, and I still get it wrong.

Here is a good example...


And here's a link to the full size image if you want to zoom in and see the multicolored sands. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5092/5569 ... 05ce_o.jpg

In the end, it's best not to get hung up on the clay type so much, and just worry about whether it brews well or not. Have fun!

[amaranto]

Thank you, tingjunkie! And thanks for that great explanation (and pic). I was having a very hard time finding clear information.

It's so neat to see everyone's pots and to realize there's so much variety out there.

Now if I can just decipher the Chinese on my pot...

[brandon]

Welcome to the club amaranto! The clay of your pot is most likely zini (purple clay) rather than zisha (purple sand). This gets very confusing when many people still call ANY Yixing clay zisha, regardless of color. Telling the difference between zini and zisha can be very tricky for a beginner. Real zisha has: a uniformed sandy texture, usually has different colored grains of sand visible when looking very closely at the clay, and often has a soft buttery glow. I know for me it's taken a lot of practice, and I still get it wrong.

Here is a good example...


And here's a link to the full size image if you want to zoom in and see the multicolored sands. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5092/5569 ... 05ce_o.jpg

In the end, it's best not to get hung up on the clay type so much, and just worry about whether it brews well or not. Have fun!

You're dead on TingJunkie! This potter in particular has a great eye for zisha clay, turns into purple satin over time. The sand can be so fine it can only be seen up close and personal.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8351/8273 ... f298_h.jpg

Somebody might prefer to call this one DCQ, but I can't be bothered with 800 sublayers. Busy drinking tea

[bagua7]

Somehow I ended up in that page...still trying to figure out how; anyway nice pot! I think I had a Taiwanese zhu ni pot without knowing it as mine looks identical to yours. Purchased from Teamasters a couple of years ago and sold as authentic new Yixing zhu ni, but I don't think it is since my pot is very thin. Is yours thin too? However, my experience brewing certain high mountain oolongs (some Li Shan teas) wasn't that good. The pot hated them, hahaha. I might try Da Yu Ling as you said it worked for you and see how it goes...fingers crossed!

I will post a pic of the pot another time as I haven't processed the file yet.

[tingjunkie]

Yes, my Taiwanese zhuni pot is VERY thin. You can also tell it's Taiwanese because if you look on the inside, there are some faint concentric circles visible because the body is wheel thrown rather than "built" as Yixing pots are.

[bagua7]

Very faded concentric lines, I can't believe I didn't notice them before.

I always wanted a Taiwanese pot. Things always turn up when least expected.

So now I know the true nature of some of Teamasters' pots, not Yixing zhu ni at all.



Genuine Taiwanese red zhu ni clay not Yixing.

I don't have any DYL with me right now but certainly will brew some next time I purchase this tea.

Any other Taiwan gaoshan you tried that your pot has liked?

[TIM]

Somehow I ended up in that page...still trying to figure out how; anyway nice pot! I think I had a Taiwanese zhu ni pot without knowing it as mine looks identical to yours. Purchased from Teamasters a couple of years ago and sold as authentic new Yixing zhu ni, but I don't think it is since my pot is very thin. Is yours thin too? However, my experience brewing certain high mountain oolongs (some Li Shan teas) wasn't that good. The pot hated them, hahaha. I might try Da Yu Ling as you said it worked for you and see how it goes...fingers crossed!

I will post a pic of the pot another time as I haven't processed the file yet.

It's the above picture showing your tea pot?

[Tead Off]

Yes, my Taiwanese zhuni pot is VERY thin. You can also tell it's Taiwanese because if you look on the inside, there are some faint concentric circles visible because the body is wheel thrown rather than "built" as Yixing pots are.

Didn't I read somewhere that there are wheel thrown Yixing pots being made now?

[tingjunkie]

The first one bagua posted is my pot TIM, the second one is his.

And it likes any gaoshan just fine!

[bagua7]

Didn't I read somewhere that there are wheel thrown Yixing pots being made now?

I asked the same question to Chinese Pottery, who used to live in Yixing and married to the daughter of a potter, and he said NO, there is no such a thing as wheel-thrown Yixings. Besides the smell of my Shui Ping when I pour hot water in it is very different to Yixing clay pots; less pronounced but with particular metallic odour.

[tingjunkie]

I'm about 99% sure the potter is wrong, unless he meant no one working directly in Yixing makes wheel thrown pots from Yixing clay. Of course, real Yixing clay has to undergo a different process (don't ask me what) before it can be wheel thrown, but there are potters in Taiwan who certainly start out with real Yixing clay, and end up with a wheel thrown pot.

Maybe others can shed more light on this process.

[Tead Off]

I'm about 99% sure the potter is wrong, unless he meant no one working directly in Yixing makes wheel thrown pots from Yixing clay. Of course, real Yixing clay has to undergo a different process (don't ask me what) before it can be wheel thrown, but there are potters in Taiwan who certainly start out with real Yixing clay, and end up with a wheel thrown pot.

Maybe others can shed more light on this process.

I would would guess that there are yixing clays that can be thrown just like any others. Processing is always necessary in one way or another. Could've sworn I read something here about wheel thrown yixing pots made in Yixing, not Taiwan. Maybe I've mixed it up with something else.