Zisha Gaiwans

Zisha used in teapots because of their clay properties. Using zisha for chabeis (teacups) or wenxiangbeis (smelling cups) does not make much sense - because then you will also have a separate set of them for every type of tea, otherwise you will just have one scent layering on the top of the other. That is why they are glazed. But there is a market for "sets" where everything has the same color. feel, etc., that is why many cups and gaiwans are made of zisha. So you can have all these neat cups and teapots and serving trays of the same color and feel.

Using your glazed gaiwans for a particular type of tea is meaningless because glazed zisha works as a glass or enamel and does not allow the tea to penetrate the walls.

Sasha.

Bruce,

I've seen these, too. I think you use them like any other gaiwan. The're glazed on the inside, I think, just so they won't take up the flavors of what's brewed. Therefore, they'd be good for greens, maybe some oolongs.

In other words, they're not designed to perform like a traditional yixing pot. I'd think of it as a gaiwan with an unusual exterior appearance. At least that's my take on it.

Joe Kubera.

Glaze is a housewife's best friend. All glaze is not equal. The purpose of glaze to develop a water seal varying from resistant to proof. Water deposits and tannins will build up on any glazed surface. Less of a problem with cups because they are normally squeegeed after use. More of a problem with pots because just a rinse. I have china cups after many years of use and normal care with lip and bottom stains but if you're paying $16/g you'll buy a new set. Even my modified French press with plexiglass is slowly taking on a life of its own. I always rinse it with boiling water before and after but some areas get rinsed less than others. Abrasives will break down glaze over time. My toilet bowl looks like that. I prefer unglazed pots because the memory is instant versus a glazed pot which will develop a memory over time. Back in college coffee cups would only last one year of use each time sent through an industrial washer but eventually staining and students complaining they weren't clean. A tough job working in a college kitchen so the corporate desk job was my reward. I think tea is so personal if it isn't your pot and cup then the taste belongs to somebody else no matter how many times it's been through the washer. It's been awhile but every Chinese pot I have is unglazed. Every English pot is glazed inside and out.

Jim

good reason. i think another reason is you can enjoy the color of the tea better. i like white color cups or mugs for tea. :-)

bye now,

Pam @ Home

Cort Furniture Rental and Honesty are two exclusive concepts.

I agree 100%. I cannot stand colored mugs, especially black ones.. The only thing you can drink out of them is coffee with milk. I am also irritated by most of the contemporary Chinese gaiwans and other tea china that are always painted with something . Even when it is just a little bit of cobalt blue. I was lucky enough to buy some small gaiwans in China that are just snow-white and I am very happy with them because IMHO the color of tea does not tolerate any other color near it. It is most noble and beautiful in its solitude. For similar reasons I really do not like calligraphy on teapots and other things made of yixing clay. Yixing clay color and texture are cheapened by these.

Sasha.

They don't stay white very long. I recently switched back too a glass pot because nothing funnier than watching leaves behave like someone in a hot shower when someone flushes the toilet. There is a point in the infusion where the color saturates before end of infusion with oxidized teas. I judge infusion by the dance with bottom infusing leaves performing the tango, top leaves the samba, and anything in between hiphop. My local tea shoppe serves tea to go in styrofoam cups. By the time I get home the cups are already permanently stained so color already obscured. You can't understand how complex a cup of tea till you use white cups and soft scrub soap after each use. I drink from a discolored big white mug so the see through pot is my only clue about color. I need a new nomenclature to describe the color in a pot from dull to lustre, light to dark, course to smooth. A bright finished dark cherry red hue is my favorite.

Jim

The best, non abrasive tea tannin cleanser is baking soda on a damp sponge. Works great, doesn't scratch the porcelain to pieces.

Heather

Cobalt blue my favorite tea pot color. Spectacular near or in sun light. Why is it impossible to find a 'white' clay teapot or cups when they should be dime a dozen? Something as simple as slurry greenware, fired and glazed. I suppose some accountant thinks color makes a difference. I'm not aware of any Yixing clay that turns bisque when fired. I've seen some ugly yellow that would look better white especially for interior surface. Nothing wrong using shot glasses with your gongfu pot for color education. I think there is beauty in simplicity. My unglazed yixing pots have calligraphy but its like riding a bus downtown and not speaking the language. The color in a glass pot is different than the color in a white cup. I prefer a diffusive transparent background versus hard reflective background.

Jim

Recently it was found that Hong Kong Consumer counsul that some Chinse Zisha cracle-glazed teaware contacins dangerous amounts of lead. Beware.

Sasha.

Alex,

You have gotten some *very* interesting responses to your survey. Would it be OK if I use them for a book I'm writing about tea and tea preferences.

Thanks Michael

Sure.

Sasha.

Alex, May I repeat the same question. Thanks Michael-:)

Ripon Vienna,VA

Wow, I feel like Zogby oir something... Sure, use my survey, rip me off, take my last hope to become rich :)

:) :)

Sasha.