Pear Yixing Crimson Clay Teapot (梨宜興陳紫砂茶壺, Lí Yíxìng Chén Zǐshā Chá Hú, "Pear Yixing Crimson Clay Teapot") - An elegant and classical teapot. This understated, slightly compressed take on the traditional Pear shape teapot combines exquisite craftsmanship and form with aged Yixing Zisha Purple Sand Clay. Clay quality, along with craftsmanship, is arguably the most important factor influencing the overall caliber of an Yixing teapot. The unglazed clay has excellent heat retention and improves the quality of teas made in it, and the best quality clay is becoming increasingly-rare as the subterranean stores of these clays are mined to exhaustion to meet increasing demand. Yixing clay improves with age, as the action of microbes on the material increases its porosity and elasticity. The purple sand clay used for this pot was mined in Yixing and has been aged for several decades.
The texture and richnes of this aged clay can be seen and felt in the pot iself - its color is deeper than pots made from younger clay, and it has a fine and "stetchy" granularity. The fine craftsmanship of this pot gives it a precise pour and a precise seal. Its rounded body make it perfect for expansive teas such as rolled Taiwanese and Anxi Oolongs, pressed Aged White teas, and pressed Hei Cha.
Due to the porosity of the clay, this pot should be dedicated to a single type or category of tea. The clay will absorb the flavor and character of the tea and amplify those aspects, improving the tea after many uses.