Chinese Yixing Clay Teapots

About Yixing clay teapots

Yixing clay teapots (also called zisha, or purple clay teapots) are made in the Yixing region of Jiangsu province, China, and have been used for tea for more than 500 years.

Yixing clay is porous, so over time it absorbs a little of the tea you brew in it. The pot gradually develops a patina, and many drinkers find it rounds out the flavour of the tea it's dedicated to.

Choosing a Yixing teapot

Two things decide most of it: the shape and the size.

Shape and tea pairings

Taller pots hold heat well, which suits pu-erh and aged white tea.

Wide-bellied pots give large oolong leaves room to open properly.

Green tea is the exception. Clay flattens it. Use a gaiwan or a glass teapot instead.

Size

Our pots run from 150ml to 250ml. At 150ml you're brewing for yourself, or for two people sharing something you don't have much of. From 180ml up you can pour for two or three without refilling every round.

About this collection

The pots here range from plain traditional shapes to more decorative pieces. Stock is limited, usually a single pot per design, so when one sells that exact pot is gone.

The carving and applied decoration is hand work, and each pot carries its maker's seal on the base. Clay, size and finish vary from pot to pot, so it's worth reading the individual pages.

Caring for your Yixing teapot

Season before first use. Follow our guide on seasoning Yixing teapots.

Dedicate it to one tea. Pick a category, oolong or pu-erh or black, and stay with it.

Water only. Never soap or detergent. The clay absorbs it.

Let it dry fully. Leave the lid off after each use.

With regular use a Yixing pot becomes very much your own, and tends to brew its dedicated tea better the longer you use it.