Omg I live in the town right next to Yixin called Liyang, we produce a lot of tea

I love your enthusiasm for tea! You remind me to sit back and enjoy all the aspects aside from just drinking that we take for granted when brewing

A wonderful introduction to Tixing Zisha Tea Pots. Just discovered good Chinese tea, and the joy of drinking them..

Very thorough and very informative Don as always !

I like your videos very much. I have learned things from you. Also, you and your partner are fun to watch. Thanks for sharing the good stuff.

Love these pots. I currently have a collection of a dozen of them and have given them as gifts (with a brochure I made that explains the history and care). Won't use any other pot to brew my tea.

Very informative video. We are doing an exchange with Yixing teapot artists this year, taking British ceramics over to Yixing in October and they come to us in 2021. I believe the pots are usually slab built rather than wheel thrown. there are some videos on youtube showing it down.

Such an educational watch! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have a lifelong love of tea, but have always brewed western style. I am an herbalist as well, and often medicinal qualities of herbal brews take high temperatures and very long steep times. Gong fu style seems to be exactly the opposite. While I am very attracted to most teapots and would buy them all if I had a very large place to store them all, I am hesitant to invest in another teapot to brew in if it’s not going to be any different practically speaking from the pots I already own. I feel more curious than ever now to experiment with gong fu brewing.

Your videos are always so helpful. Thank you!

Hi Don! This is very informative! So happy and excited to recieve my pot from you!

I think something very important to say in another video about this pot: the clay filter is very important as metal filters are said to change the important parts in the tea, but more importantly metal is known to leak nickel (a metal) into water especially in an acidic environment..Plastic filters leave micro plastics in the water..Wood filters leave wood fibers in the water..I would think paper filters leave small paper particles in the water..It was your great videos that pointed out Japanese Green tea is made in a way to protect polyphenols and such the most..I believe this is still working to make sure the tea is the most nutritious possible…I think a Gaiwan is made for that same reason also, to make a porcelain filter..That makes sure no metal, wood, or plastic get into the teas.. I think another excellent point to bring up is this pot empties really fast..I think a great video you could make would be racing the pour out between this and a Gaiwan....The true test is how much leaf and such made it into the tea..You can see with a clear cup and a bright light shines into the cup making any thing visible..Also, you could pour each one into a tea bag filter and examine both..The winner could be the fastest empty out, but the least amount of leaf and such..Keep on the excellent knowledge filled videos!

Thanks for the advice and tips. I'm new to Yixing teapots and look forward to your other videos.

Exactly the info I have tried to find, with rumours of even poisons in the low grade clay. I will definately but a Yixing pot.

I just purchased THREE Yixing teapots from a shop that was going out of business. Two of them appear to be half handmade and the other, probably the prettiest of the three, is machine made due to a loose lid and it doesn't sit level when it's put upside down. One of the half handmade ones is more stylistic but it feels good in my hand and is definitely well made. I can't wait to use these pots!

This is very useful, and I now realize how many mistakes I have done with my Yixing clay pot, which I bought in 2006 during my first stay in China (at least, I never came up with the idea of washing it with soap!). I have find out that decorations, such as carter characters, can higher the price of the pot. Of course, they do not affect the brewing process, so in the end it is convenient to go for simple pots with no decoration.

Best channel on KZfaq 10/10

I don´t wanted so spend my xmas money for tea and teaware, but for this price I could´not resist. The quality ist very good. I love this shape. I could check the pot out in Camden Town. I love London and drinking Pu Er at ML. ;-) See you again in march.

Take water from washing rice to prepare the teapot and make the cleaning process the same way as you mentioned, cook it an half of an hour in the ricewater, than wash it after this in cold water! You will enjoy!

I wish you the best! And I hope to one day have one of these teapots thanks to your video. I wish you had these in stock, but maybe I'll get lucky. :)

EXCELLENT Vid! Thank You!

Loved this video

very informative and interesting video

Tea, bringing the world togther. Beautiful. (...Except for the...other times, but we don't count that)

I've heard of a variant of the sped up seasoning technique where you brew a strong brew of your tea of choice in the teapot, decant all the tea into a big bowl, then submerge the pot in the bowl and let it sit until the tea has cooled down. To me that sounds like a better and less aggressive way! You're still leaving enough room for the journey, but just give it a bit of a kick-start, and don't have the risk of seasoning the pot with overly bitter tea.

Hi Don! Thanks for the video. Great insight for the yixing pots. However, I would not suggest to use a tea towel, especially if you are washing the towels with detergent and adding fabric softener, as you do to your normal clothes. I have tried to use a tea towel and just after I have submerged the pot I have noticed there was a detergent smell. I took out the pot immediately. However, I left the sauce pan to boil, just to see what happens and the water was full with detergent foam. I have used paper towels instead which was much better... Best regards, Mihai.

THANK YOU

you are such a legend

i bought the teapot for £1.00 in a charity shop it's smooth but has a rough texture to it's surface stamped inside the pot inside the lid under the pot and under the handle of the pot and has little like stone flecks in the pot also signed under the pot

You really use YiXing pots exactly like those Chinese tea connoisseurs did. We have same approach here except we do keep a few pots for different categories of tea. Mixing tea types will have subtle influence to the mouth feel of tea infusion. It is best to separate them if you can afford it.

My entire gong fu tea set is made from Yixing clay (or so I believe), from the water reservoir to the tea cups that boast Chinese inscriptions. Actually, there are Chinese inscriptions on all of the tea utensils. My clay tea set is made of a reddish material, but personally I believe the clay is of good quality (and I'd believe that the inscriptions on the tea utensils denotes that it was handmade). There's none of those creases found in some of the teapots you have mentioned. What do you think of the quality of my tea set?

Do I need to cure my tea cup made from the same clay as a Yixing pot before usage?

Hi Don! Very instructive video! I learned that I need to buy a better quality teapot hahaha. But what should I do with my other clay teapots. I have two which I used for a few hundred brews. They seem not to be casted, but I can see with your video that they are poor quality. Should I still use them or the fact that they are poor quality means that there’s no good effect on the teas I brew in them? I also purchased a good quality clay teapot but he’s from Japan. I bought it at Camellia sinensis in Canada and I know I can trust them about the quality of their products. Is it the same thing/use/cleaning process/etc that for the Chinese ones ?

Hi Don. I've just got my first clay teapot and also few clay teacups. Do I need to season the teacups same way as seasoning the teapot?

Hello Mei Leaf I was wondering if you could tell me where to find the bowl that you sit on top of your tea tray its awesome and I really would like it!!!!

Hello, Mei Leaf! I've been watching your videos lately and have become quite a big fan of your channel. I have a question: Many years ago me and my brother purchased a Yixing tea set (teapot, six cups and six small plates) during a very intense period of tea obsession. Nevertheless life followed its course and the tea set ended up in its box for a long time. Now, many years later, I have decided to bring the tea set out again and resume that good old habit of Gong Fu brewing. It seems to me that the tea set is hand made or half hand made, and the lid fits the pot quite perfectly, so I think it must be good, or at least decent quality. However there is a white "dustyness" on the tea set which can't be rinsed off, as it reappears whenever the pot and cups dry. Should I be concerned? Do you know what this is? and, do you know if there is anything I can do? I would greatly appreciate any help! Thank you, Charly

Hello, what are your thoughts on yixing thermos. They seem to be quite popular on eBay, but not a lot of info elsewhere

Hey Don, love your videos! I am planning to get an unglazed clay pot and have a quick question for you -- Do you know what differences there may be between Nixing Guangxi clay pots and Yixing Zisha clay pots? Thanks and keep the videos coming! :)

Would you dedicate separate pots for young Sheng and aged Sheng?

Would you recommend using 2 different Yixing pots for raw/aged and ripe Pu Erh? I've heard different things and would love your opinion.

mate thank you for your tutorial information i have some Chinese and Japanese teapots of ceramic and clay a lot i have never used especially one it's a signed Yixing Zisha purple clay teapot should i use it or keep it as a special Ornamental teapot i wish i could send a photo of it

Hi Dan, love your videos! I live in California and would love if you can recommend where to get a good quality clay pot.

Don did you do good research to know you clay is good Quality there are yixing in my town in Colorado but I'm not sure of where they source them or the quality of the Clay and I think that it would be best to go with you I love your videos and your expertise on tea so much I have always love the tea ceremony and teas great qualities thanks for let me tea up with you -Dylan

Sorry, may I ask you, I got a porcelain Gong Fu set... How does tea affects ceramic? Should I polish it? Should I let it dry on it? Thanks

Could you do video about making tea in different pots?Glass, porcelain and clay? I realy like porcelain.Dont like the roughness of clay.Does porcelain affect the tea in any way?

Hello Mei Leaf can you please do a video of how to season a axing zisha clay pot please?

Hey Don! I got a Yixing Pot very similar to this one in the video, but now I reckon that is quite too big for me (300ml). Is a total no-go to use it filling it at its half? Time to get a new one?

You recommend to use Yixing Clay Pot for one type of tee. It means use it only with e.g. all oolongs or with semi-roasted oolongs or with only one tee like Tie Guan Yin?

I have been into tea now for about 16 years. I mostly drink ripe Puer. I just got back from China and have invested in a Yixing clay pot. I think I would like to season it since I understand that it takes a while to get the full flavor. Some people say not to boil the tea with the pot for 30 minutes because it can become bitter, but to keep brewing the tea as you would to drink mutiple times to fill a bowl that covers the pot. What are your thoughts. I love your videos.

I had an entry level teapot with enamel on the inside. While cooling I accidentally poured a bit of cold water in it and the enamel cracked on the bottom from the inside. It's not leaking since the crack doesn't go all the way through the bottom, but now it sips bubbles into the tea when it's hot. How much did I messed up?

Hi Don, can you pour the tea using only one hand? One youtube video mentioned that you can hold the pot from top, but I am wondering it can be too hot to hold it by one hand.

Hi Don. Do you plan on getting any smaller yixing pots eventually? I feel like 100ml would be the sweet spot for me. But I don't really trust other merchants.

I wanted to buy a nice yixing black teapot, but I'm a bit confused, because the teapot looks a bity shiny on the photos. On the other hand thanks for a useful video full of information

Hi Don- I inherited a Yixing clay teapot that my has been sitting on the mantel in my family home since I was a child (I am now 73). I would like to have it appraised for value as it is unusual and meets the characteristics you state for being an authentic teapot. The first time I auctioned it on Ebay, it was bid up to $3500 but the buyer did not pay - he lived in China and could not be contacted. The second time I listed it, I received messages to please end the auction and sell direct to them. Where can I take this pot to be appraised so I will know what I have.. Thanks for your reply.

Where can I get some yixing clay?

what would happen if you do use something like soap to wash it? I may have done this before watching this video. is the pot ruined?

Hi Don. Got a question, do yixing pots turn bad? Are they like a life long friend that you can season for 50+ years or more like a partner for 10-20 years?

Is there a way to test if the clay are fake or poisonous? I bought one small pot for $10 for fun...but it's not fun to drink poisonous tea if I choose to use it... says it's ceramic clay...

Hi. I know this is an old video, but it's topic relevant, and I have to give it a try. So I have a question about Yixing teapots - I ordered my first yixing teapot from aliexpress for 30 EUR, mostly as a gamble and a test. I did the initial cleaning in the boiling water and everything was fine, but the moment I poured in hot water for brewing it cracked most of the way around the bottom, for now it's still perfectly usable, but I'm fairly sure the bottom will fall off in a few more uses. Is this a sign of bad quality clay or could this happen to any genuine quality yixing teapot? Or did I just make a fatal mistake by not slowly preheating the teapot, tho I've never heard of such a need. Thanks.

Quite disapointed after watching your videos and see the Guru full pack isnt available. Quite hard to find a nice all in one kit

What is actually wrong with the top of the handle and spout being higher then the bottom of the lid? And what is the purpose of putting the pot upside down?

Hi Don! I bought in Singapore my first proper fully handmade clay pot. (of which I am proud of, as you can tell) So in your opinion it is ok, as I am a noob in Gong Fu Cha and need to find my way, if I brew oolongs and pu'erhs it? It will always be my first pot.. and maybe it gets, as you described, a good, round seasoning someday, so I know, what ever tea I have, and I am not sure, which pot to take.. at least I can take my first one...:) Maybe later I would purchase 1 for oolong and 1 for pu'erh... Would you fully agree? Thanks Paul from Vienna (orderd again today some tea from you, Gaba, white gold and Black Yunnan Tuo)

is it normal that the insides of the teapot are really rough? it even leave some sandy residue when i chip it with my finger nail...someone please advise

"" the nob of the top of the pot "" sweet XD

What is that big bowl in the middle of the table called?

Hi Don i have about 15 hiding clay pots and i was wondering if i could email you pictures and you could take a look at them and tell me about them. they were given to me by one of my friends who owns a tea shop. she's kind of handing her business over to me and is trying to start me off with some tea ware so it would be awesome if i could talk to you about the stuff she gave me

my yixing pot has a maker's mark inside the pot as well as the bottom. it seems good quality otherwise. what would this indicate?

Hi Don! You mentioned the toxic elements in lower-quality pots, and there's also quite a lot of paranoia online about lead in Chinese teaware. Can you confirm that the one sold on the Mei Leaf site contains no lead/other toxic elements?

well... I gotta get it than!

FYI, there are tons of expensive knocks off. You would think you are buying a genuine Zisha teapot because it's expensive. They do that to fool people. They had a news investigation in China about genuine Zisha teapot. Only about 25 percent of the Zisha teapot are made from genuine Zisha Clay. The others had added chemicals or not Zisha clay at all. From what I know, the old ones made before 1990 are most likely genuine because they were cheap and available. It became expensive when this Zisha clay is becoming less available and a genuine one is hard to find.

Couldn't find your discussion point on your channel so I'll leave my question here. What's your take on, "Kiss Pots?" Recommendations, usage, history, clay, gimmick? I recon this could be a video topic on its on, unusual and interesting. I would love to here your thoughts on the topic. our website: (not directly related, but...) www.kizhk.com

Is there any problems from using a "fake" Yixing Zisha Clay Pot? Will it make my tea worse? Or will I just lose the Yixing Zisha Clay benefits?

Im a little freaked out by my Yixing pot.....my first one....im going to get another....my question....You said its a slow process....im interested in only black tea.....and im falling in love with ripe pur-erh....to season my Yixing...and drink im using by MagJo....KEEMUN BLACK TEA.....but i have coming my first ripe pur-erh....by Fragrai...Premium Puerh Aged Black Tea Natural Fermented Pu erh Tea Yunnan Loose......im thinking of using a Gaiwan....to start out....before i make a decision in putting it in my pot...i bought it for black tea....any help

Hi, thanks for educating ppl about chinese tea culture. Looking from both of your teapot. Im pretty sure both are chemically altered. Both are cast from a mold.

It is reccommended to brew only one type of tea per pot because of the way it absorbs and releases flavor.

ship or sell to USA?

You look absolutely like an Indian. I first thought what is an Indian doing with the Chinese teapot 😂

Hi Don, another great video thank you :) Can you recommend any stores or factories that I could purchase real Yixing teapots from in Yixing city please? I'm an aussie living in Suzhou, and would love to purchase several of them...of course ;) Thanks in advance!

Why would anyone limit themselves with a single design?

French subtitles please!

just got 12$ teapot from aliexpress and I have no idea why I am here

Personally I would not use any Hei Cha (Ripe Puer, Liu Bao, Tian Jian, Fu brick etc) in an all-star pot, their aroma just does not match other teas IMO