Clay Teapot 0909

Yixing clay teapots, are also called Zisha teapot are made from Yixing clay. This traditional style commonly used to brew tea originated in China, dating back to the 15th century, and are made from clay produced near Yixing in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu
Archaeological excavations reveal that as early as the Song dynasty (10th century) potters near Yixing were using local “zisha” to make utensils that may have functioned as teapots. According to the Ming dynasty author Zhou Gaoqi, during the reign of the Zhengde Emperor, a monk from Jinsha Temple in Yixing handcrafted a fine quality teapot from local clay. Such teapots soon became popular with the scholarly class, and the fame of Yixing teapots began to spread.
Most of Yixing teapots are smaller than their western counterparts as the tea is often brewed using the gongfu style of brewing: shorter brewing time with many infusions.