RSSYixing: Traditional Chinese Tea Sets
Feb 24
China China, Chinese Culture, chinese tea sets, clay tea sets, tea, tea culture, tea sets, traditional chinese tea sets, Yixing clay tea sets, yixing tea sets No Comments
Yixing clay tea pots brew the best tea. Period. It is one of the oldest ways of brewing tea and certainly one of the most interesting, beautiful and practical. They are known worldwide for their special tea brewing qualities and beautiful designs.
Yixing sets are unique in that they the clay used to make them is very porous, unlike bone china or porcelain sets. The tiny holes in the clay material allow the tea to actually penetrate the material, or in other words, the clay soaks up the tea. So, after using a clay tea pot for years, it eventually is no longer necessary to add tea to the water, because the clay will have retained the flavor, naturally brewing with tea with just hot water. Clay sets are special because of this quality.
In addition to the most obvious benefit of clay sets, there are a few more points I would like to touch upon. When you do get a new clay pot, although it isn’t seasoned to perfection yet, the simple fact that it is made of clay will enhance the color, aroma and flavor of any tea you do steep.
Clay tea sets epitomize quality and craftsmanship. They are usually delicately carved with ornate designs including depictions of Chinese life and traditions. However, these days you can find more modern versions of Yixing tea sets too. You can find them dyed different colors or even painted with modern art. Even if you never drink from your clay set, it will make for a great conversation piece.
The care and maintenance of Yixing clay tea sets is really quite simple. Never use soaps or cleansers to clean your clay set! This is probably the most important thing to remember if you own a clay tea set. Remember, anything you put in your pot can be soaked into the clay itself. You don’t want you’re tea to start tasting like soap. Aside from this very important factor, they really aren’t much trouble at all to take care of. When finished drinking, just pour some hot water over the clay you wish to clean, and gently rinse the tea away. No scrubbing or even drying with a tea towel is recommended, just let air dry.
Another thing to note, is that you shouldn’t brew more than one type of tea in your clay tea set. Most experts agree that using different flavors will cause the tea to eventually become unpredictable. This is because every tea you brew is soaked into the clay, so eventually, no matter what type of tea you brew, it will end up being some sort of a blend. Once you have mixed teas in your clay sets, it will be difficult to ever again get consistent flavor.
If you want to find your own Yixing tea set, all you have to do is look online. Or you could travel to China, but it isn’t necessary anymore. You can’t go wrong with a clay tea set, and you really can’t get anything that is more traditional.
Learn more about traditional Chinese tea sets. Stop by Gavin Coleman’s site where you can find out all about Chinese tea sets.
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