MY YIXING TEAPOT
-->

I’m very proud to have my first Yixing teapot. I’ve bought him in Brussels last week and before using him, I’ve prepared him because the teapot has ‘to drink’ the tea first.

Yixing teapots are created in China since the Sung Dynasty (960-1279). Potters use the specific zisha clay, which was first mined in Yixing province of China. The exceptional quality of the teapots is obtained by the unique chemical composition and the characteristics of zisha clay and the accurate craftsmanship of the Chinese potters.
Yixing pots are made in many shapes and colour nuances. The longer I look, the more I like my dark brown, simple but good finished teapot very much.     

For my Yixing teapot, I’ve chosen an Oolong tea from Northern Taiwan, Ming Xiang.
Because the teapot is porous, it’s good to choose just one kind of tea for a teapot, so that the pot can aware of the flavour of the tea. Before using the pot I’ve cleaned him with a bit of water. I’ve filled him with the Oolong tea and put him in a cooking pot, filled with water and added a few tealeaves. I brought the temperature of the water till 90°C and than let it slowly cool down. After these preparations, I could enjoy using my teapot and the rich taste of the Oolong.

It’s still freezing outside. While my fingers gliding on the smooth and warm surface of the Yixing teapot, the snow covers my doubts for a while and let everything shining.

Ceramic tea boat, grey clay, stoneware. Teacups and presentation vessel, white clay, resp. stoneware and earthenware (made by myself)
photo's: Iris Weichler