Yixing

Yixing (pronounced ee-shing) teapots first appeared during the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 ) in the Jiangsu province of China, about 120 miles northwest of Shanghai.

 The ore containing the Purple Sand Clay from which the pots are made produces a porous material with a great capacityto retain heat. The clay teapots act as naturally adjusting ovens that elicit and intensify the flavor of teas, especially those in the oolong category. 

YiXing teapots were relatively unknown until the late Ming Dynasty (1600s) when their use and production began to flourish. Demand from Europe and throughout China eventually fueled an active industry and for the next 300 years YiXing teapots grew in global reknown. Collected as works of art, they are an essential tool for the true tea enthusiast.