Hello-

I am going to China in September (Beijing, Xi'An, Guilin, Suzhou & Shanghai) and wanted to know if anyone knows good places to buy good quality YiXing teapots. Is there anything I should look for? I am planning to use the teapot for drinking as well as display.

TIA
Tina

I believe you will find them in Suzhou as they are made near there. There is a lot of variation but you should look for the chop or signature of the maker, well fitting lid etc. Be carefull of types that have writing in ink as it can wear off with use. Better to get types with the writing etched in the clayMany are very simple and it is hard to figure why they cost so much! They come in a variety of colours and sizes but mostly a dark terra cotta. They can be very expensive.
Ask when you are there.
You can find them in western countries too,I have bought them from Ten Ren in Canada.
I was told that they are particularly suited for Oolong teas.
Bon Voyage.

YiXing teapots are made from ZiSha clay ("purple sand&quot a very special porous clay which allows the pot to absorb the tea. Thus, purists will use one pot with one kind of tea and no other.

The pot also has to be properly cured before use.

Will you pass through Hong Kong? If so, visit the Flagstaff House Museum of Teaware. In the museum store you will find many authentic YiXing tea sets.

There are also a couple of teaware stores in Old Town in Shanghai, although not everything they carry is YiXing and probably not all the YiXing is authentic.

Good luck with your shopping!

Thanks for the input. I'll look at some websites before I leave to get some price/quality comparisons.

I really liked the ones with a type of bead built into the lids. I think they are decorative but also functional in that they let some steam escape. They also serve to show the skill of the artisan.

If you are into tea there are some great web sites and stores such as Ten Ren that I mentioned earlier that sell a wide range of high quality teas.

If you are into collecting YiXing teaware, you might also look for authentic Pu'er tea, which comes in rounds.

Pu'er tea is collected and stored, just like good wine, and well aged Pu'er tea is worth a fortune.

easytraveler - isn't that interesting about certain teas? i have some pu'er that my grandfather brought over to the states over 30 years ago that is just wonderful.

i also have a round of pu'er that a friend brought back from a trip a couple of years ago but i haven't tried yet. unlike coffee, i tend to accumulate teas!! especially from overseas trips like the one i'll be taking soon.