中華古藝文化藝術

Yixing (Zisha) 'purple clay' pottery (Buccaro)

Yixing County, in the southern part of Jiangsu Province, has been the center of Chinese teapot production since the Song Dynasty (960-1279). High quality Yixing clay comes from along the banks of Lake Tai near Nanjing. Refined and fired to a high temperature it produces a slightly absorbent pottery highly regarded by tea lovers.

A good Yixing teapot should pour evenly from the pot, have a porcelanious ring to it when struck, a very snug fitting lid which if the lid has a hole will stop pouring when you put your finger over it. Since the clay will absorb some of the flavor of the tea and thus enhance the flavor, it is important to drink only one kind of tea out of it. If the tea pot has any age to it, it should have a distinct residue of old tea inside.

The clay used for Yixing pottery is called Zisha ("Purple clay") despite the fact that it is not always purple in color neither unfired or fired. The high content of metallic oxides in the clay body resulted in wares ranging from purple to beige or green, the variation in color being caused by differences in kiln temperature and atmosphere.