Yixing clay teapots traditional Chinese. Yíxīng; (also called Purple Sand (Chinese: 紫砂; pinyin: zǐshā; Wade–Giles: tsu sha) are made from Yixing,This traditional style commonly used to brew tea originated in China. dating back to the 15th century, and are made from clay produced near Yixing, in the eastern Chinese province of Jiasu.
Yixing teapots are meant for use with black and Oolong tea, as well as aged Pu-erh tea. Yixing teapots absorb a tiny amount of tea into the pot during brewing. After prolonged use, the pot will develop a coating that retains the flavor and color of the tea. It is for this reason that soap should not be used to clean Yixing teapots. Instead, it should be rinsed with fresh water and allowed to air-dry. A studious tea connoisseur will only steep one type of tea in a particular pot, so as not to corrupt the flavor that has been absorbed.
Yixing teapots are smaller than their western counterparts as the tea is often brewed for only a few seconds before it is served to guests.Reusing the same tea leaves multiple times, the first brew of the tea leaf is usually used only to clean tea, teapot, and cups and is not to be consumed. Chinese people traditionally drink from cups that hold less than 30 ml of liquid and are simply repeatedly filled so that they may cool rapidly but can be ingested before the tea becomes cold