Fewer claims. Better questions.

A concise history of Yixing zisha teapots, from the rise of loose-leaf brewing to literati collaboration, twentieth-century workshops and today's market.

A practical first-pot checklist focused on capacity, pour, handling, seller claims, and a clean porcelain comparison.

Recognise major Yixing teapot shape families and see how body, opening, handle and spout affect everyday tea use.

A simple, low-risk care routine for new and used Yixing pots, including rinsing, drying, odour removal and mould prevention.

Pair Yixing teapots with tea by testing heat, pour, capacity and leaf shape instead of relying on rigid clay-to-tea charts.

Learn what zisha means, how processing and firing shape a teapot, and why colour, porosity and clay labels cannot predict tea performance alone.

What Yixing and zisha mean, what an unglazed clay pot can change, and which buying claims deserve caution.

A cautious comparison of three common Yixing clay labels, what each name can tell you, and what it cannot prove.

Build a useful Yixing collection by prioritising function, documentation, condition and personal taste over speculative investment claims.

Assess Yixing teapot claims without relying on colour, sound, seals or other single-test myths.

A clear overview of Yixing teapot making, from clay preparation and slab building to mould assistance, finishing and firing.

Meet several influential names in Yixing history while learning why maker seals, workshop labels and later copies require careful interpretation.