How To Choose A Chinese Teapot - By Daniel Lui

When searching for the best way to select a Chinese teapot, you'll find expert recommendations emphasizing the significance of teapot size, shape, and clay type. As tea aficionados note, the selection process can transform your tea experience, allowing flavors to shine through with the right vessel.

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Making tea is fundamentally about extracting the flavor from the tea leaves, which requires the use of the teapot during the traditional Chinese method of Gong-Fu Cha (Tea with Great Skill). Choosing an appropriate teapot involves considering its size, shape, the type of clay it’s made from, and its firing temperature, all of which should align with the tea type and the number of people being served. Moreover, since a teapot is used frequently, it must be aesthetically pleasing, durable, and comfortable to handle.

About Chinese Teapots

Serious Gong-Fu Cha enthusiasts engage in lengthy discussions regarding the merits of various teapots. However, there is a general consensus on the following four points:

• Tea is best brewed in clay teapots, and the finest ones are crafted from 'Purple Clay' (Zisha) found in the Yixing region of China.
• Zisha clay has exceptional porosity and thermal properties that enhance the flavor of tea considerably compared to glass, porcelain, or glazed teapots.
• A Yixing teapot should be dedicated to a single type of tea.
• High-fired teapots with finer, thinner clay are ideal for Green, White, and Oolong teas, while low-fired teapots, made from thicker and more porous clay, are more suitable for Black Tea (known as Red Tea in China) and Pu-Erh Tea.

Chinese clay teapots are unglazed, allowing them to remain porous. Over time, tea oils build up within the teapot, enriching its flavor and imparting a unique taste. Using different teas in the same teapot is not advisable unless they belong to the same family, and even then, the stronger flavored teas could affect the more delicately flavored ones.

When choosing your teapot, inspect it carefully for cracks or chips. It should be well-balanced, feel comfortable in your hand, and have a lid that fits snugly into the opening. This opening should also be sized appropriately for the leaves you plan to use; a smaller opening retains fragrances better, while a larger one allows them to escape. Similarly, the spout should allow for an unhindered pour without restricting the flow, as Gong-Fu Cha employs quick brew times.

Here are the primary criteria to consider when selecting a teapot:

• Size
• Shape
• Manufacture
• Clay Firing
• Temperature

Size

Choosing the right size is crucial based on how many people you typically serve when brewing tea. Teapots come in various sizes, and the following guide can help you determine the right one:

Chart - Teapot Sizes for Number of People Served

Finding the right teapot size can be challenging. Considering your typical serving habits can help make this process simpler. For instance, if you often brew tea for yourself or one other person, selecting a #2 size might be ideal. Conversely, if you frequently host guests, a larger teapot may be necessary.

Shape

Teapot shapes influence the expansion of tea leaves and the extraction of flavors. They are generally categorized into two profiles: high and low, each serving different tea types.

Chart: Teapot Shapes For Type of Tea

• Taiwan Oolong (High Profile)
• Green/White Tea (High Profile)
• Tie Guan Yin (Low Profile)
• Chinese Black Tea (High Profile)
• Da Hong Pao (Low Profile)
• Decorative Teapot (Low Profile)

While collecting decorative teapots can be enjoyable, it’s essential not to confuse their aesthetic value with functionality in tea preparation. As tea is sensitive to temperature fluctuations, teapots must be designed to distribute heat evenly.

Manufacture

Teapots can be classified based on their manufacturing technique, and the construction method for Zisha clay teapots is quite unique. The methods are as follows:

• Handmade
• Half-handmade
• Molded

Handmade teapots are crafted individually by an artist, which includes cutting and assembling using traditional tools. The intense preparation that Zisha clay undergoes during this process provides additional oxygen to the tea while brewing, enhancing flavor.

Half-handmade teapots combine machine-molded components put together by hand, while molded teapots are mass-produced and less valuable. Despite being mass-produced, molded teapots can still provide excellent brewing quality compared to glass or porcelain.

Quality of Clay

The Yixing region has been known for centuries for its premium clay used in teapot production. The clay varieties can generally be categorized into:

• 'Earth-clay' made from mud
• 'Stone-clay' made from rock (Zisha)

'Earth-clay' is suitable for mid-grade teapots, while 'stone-clay' or Zisha, offers superior temperature maintenance and flavor extraction capabilities.

Composition of Clay

The composition of clay impacts the final product, with three primary types being common:

• Zisha Clay
• Mixed Clay (Pingni)
• Artificial Clay

Colour of Clay

Mixing different clays yields various colors, and accurately identifying a genuine teapot's clay quality combines specialized knowledge and experience.

How To Season A New Teapot

Before using a new teapot, it is imperative to remove its wax coating and season the clay. This involves rinsing it, boiling it, and optionally using your chosen type of tea leaves during the seasoning process.

Glass And Porcelain Teapots

Unlike clay, glass, and porcelain teapots do not influence the flavor of tea. They are, however, less suitable for enhancing the taste as they do not absorb tea oils.

More Information

For further exploration and details on tea and its preparation, refer to our Library.