Recommended reading
What fully handmade, half-handmade and mold-made or slip-cast Yixing teapots are, how each is built and the signs that help tell them apart.
A short checklist for a first Yixing teapot: the tea, the size and an easy shape, plus mistakes to avoid and what to check when it arrives.
Round, pear and straight-lined Yixing teapot shapes explained: what each name means, how shape changes the pour, and which shapes suit pu-erh.
Four steps to get a new Yixing teapot ready, plus everyday care: hot water only, no soap, one tea per pot.
How the three main Yixing clay families differ, the named clays you will see on our listings, and which teas each one suits.
Zhuni for young raw pu-erh, Zini and the purple clays for ripe and aged pu-erh, and how to choose the right size.