Yixing Prices and Online Places

[needaTEAcher]

BTW, I usually brew for two people, and I tend to brew in the morning, split up the goods, let it sit for an hour and come back three or four times throughout the day. I like to brew a full mugs' worth at once and sip for a while (my current baby is pretty big...I'll be posting a picture soon in the show-off section).

I currently teach English to little ones, so there is no sitting in a calm and quite place for most of my week, just chase after them with my drink in hand!

[TIM]

BTW, I usually brew for two people, and I tend to brew in the morning, split up the goods, let it sit for an hour and come back three or four times throughout the day. I like to brew a full mugs' worth at once and sip for a while (my current baby is pretty big...I'll be posting a picture soon in the show-off section).

I currently teach English to little ones, so there is no sitting in a calm and quite place for most of my week, just chase after them with my drink in hand!

NeedaTeacher. To be honest, you have the best situation to learn about tea comparing to the Western world. Forget about Chinese or Japanese tea first, and learn about the classic Korean tea and the art of preparing them. Head down to Insadong and look for a shop named Sam Hwa Ryung (삼화령) of course you will be paying tuition in hanging out there, but if you are humble and sincere enough with an open mind, you might become a student under the head lady... and perhaps within a month, your understanding of tea will surpass most of the tea enthusiast in the West whom rely on google facts. Good Luck and Happy Journey. ~ Toki

http://www.cbinews.co.kr/news/articleVi ... dxno=52767

http://themandarinstea.blogspot.com/200 ... y-tea.html

[tingjunkie]

I was under the impression that all the clay that made Yixing famous is now pretty much gone, that's why old Yixing are so precious to amateurs. I am not saying that modern Yixing clay is bad, but I don't know if it is better that other clays such as the ones used to make good taiwanese or japanese teapots.

I gots nothin here. One of the old timers tag in!

Though I'm hardly an old timer, this is pretty easy to field. Really good clay is a limited resource, so as time marches on it will become more rare and more valuable, and you will see modern commercial pots made with increasingly mediocre to bad clay. However, the good news is that many Yixing potters have hoarded stashes of good or even fantastic aged clay, sometimes passed down for several generations. Of course, the pots will be priced accordingly though. There's a good thread [urlhttp://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15208]here[/url] with a discussion about the current clay situation.

[wyardley]

However, the good news is that many Yixing potters have hoarded stashes of good or even fantastic aged clay, sometimes passed down for several generations.

And while this may well be true, you are wise to be extremely skeptical of any pot advertised as being made with old / aged clay, and especially (but not exclusively) so if the price is too good to be true.

[tingjunkie]

Very true wyardley. Once again, for us westerners, the value of shopping with reliable vendors can't be understated. Finding a trustworthy Yixing vendor is on the same level as finding a trustworthy auto mechanic.

[needaTEAcher]

If I had a car I'd trade it for a nice chunk of clay. Anyone just want to give me one? Or three?

I am heading to Insadong this weekend to sniff clay, so I will definitely find the nice Korean Tea Lady. As much as I love tea (and I REALLY do) my evenings are all booked up with Hapkido (my biggest reason to come to here), so I don't know how good of a student I could be. But I will see what is available. Even just once a week would be wicked freakin awesome.

If anything fun comes of it, I will post about the experience in another part of the forum. I think this thread is about done to death. Thanks for all the help everyone, especially tingjunkie. BTW, are all those pots yours? If so I bow to you while secretly planning to take them all for myself...

[tingjunkie]

Glad to help. Yes, all the pots in my avatar are mine, and I've added about 8 more since that pic. I collected all of them in just over two years, and I really don't have the kind of job to support that. Let this be a warning about the slippery slope you're on!

[DarkenedSun]

Along these lines.. I was just wondering about this guy:
http://stores.ebay.com/Chinese-Teapot-G ... 4340.l2563
They are cheap and I would expect the pots to reflect that. I just think some are cool looking. The question is, are they even worth getting? Would it be worth brewing my nice tea in one of those or do you suppose it would muck-up the flavor?

[Herb_Master]

That site has been there for years, and I have never seen a single positive comment about it on Teachat!

[the_economist]

i wouldn't touch those pots, let alone drink liquid that has been in them. personally i wouldn't take them even if i only had to pay shipping.

disclaimer: i've never owned any of those pots, and have no intention of ever owning any of them based on the pictures.

[bagua7]

Are you sure? I am aware of tingjunkie owning and recommending the following one:



http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chinese-Yixing- ... 3cb51650ab

[Herb_Master]

I may have thought that that was said with his Tongue In Cheek

I got the Impression, that their pots were varied in Quality, and new Yixing purchasers were very happy with some of them as starter pots, but that seasoned Yixing users were not impressed.

[Drax]

I picked up a bunch of clay cups and some smaller clay tea storage canisters from there. Those were all fine, though I actually use the cups for storage as well (samples) and not for drinking.

[tingjunkie]

Are you sure? I am aware of tingjunkie owning and recommending the following one:

??????

[bagua7]

.