Why Zisha Teapots Are So Expensive | So Expensive

Zisha teapots are some of the first teapots ever made. The same techniques used in 14th-century China are used to make them today. A zisha teapot typically holds one cup of water and can cost between $150 and $90,000. So why are these teapots so expensive?

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Why Zisha Teapots Are So Expensive | So Expensive

[phernand]

Please never cancel this series. Such fascinating stuff

[Rubblage]

I was telling my grandma about this video and these expensive pots from China, she brings me to the cinema room cabinet where all the antiques are kept, and pulls out a zisha pot with a set of cups, turns out she got it in Beijing as a gift while she was working as a professor in the early 1980s

[muizzy]

As a tea obsessed person, here are some (small) corrections and misconceptions:
* The porosity isn't important because of the oxygen content, but because this allows the tea to absorb some of the minirals from the clay and past teas. This improves and mellows the minerality (stone-like taste) of the tea as well as its structure (how long the taste remains in the mouth).
* On preserving the flavour of the tea: In order to get the most "true" flavour of the tea, you would be using a porcelain gaiwan to brew, not a clay pot. A clay pot is designed to _enhance_ the flavour of the tea by adding a kind of minirality which is unique to the clay.
* Not an error, but a fun addendum: A lot of the artistry in a good pot comes from the perfection of its shape and the quality of the fit (how closely does the lid fit on) as well as the pour (how laminar is the flow which comes out). So sometimes you'll see "simple" pots with a high value. That's why.

[AdzukiBean]

One more aspect of zisha is that due to the ceramic being porous, it actually becomes stained from the tea brewed in it. I visited a zisha craftsman in China, and he would brew tea nonstop in his shop and dump it out just to get more fresh tea flowing through the pot. It’s a form of art that increases in value the older and more used it is.

[sf]

I love finding out why things I've never heard of till just now are so expensive

[paranoidpumpkin]

The tea pots are a form of art.
The sheer amount of care and hardwork for making a single pot is fascinating

[TheBirdySide]

Yixing tea pots are really fascinating. One of my mom's friends was a very famous pot maker in Yixing (I forgot his name now). Seeing the dedication and hard work needed for mastering this art is truly admirable.

[justinlambert]

Zisha is the clay, the style/lineage is Yixing, from Yixing, China. Zisha refers to purple, red, and variations of clay owned by the family. A family who has long had a “Zisha” clay pit, deems a higher price for the material, as well as multiple generation Yixing teapot maker. I studied with Gu Me Xun, Yixing master, also sells teapots up to 50k. The clay contributes to the tea flavor, hence the “perceived value” to connoisseurs. Great story!

[Verlisify]

Wow. This was very enjoyable to watch. The techniques are interesting and she is very skilled

[steven]

If you are tea lover, never miss the chance to use clay tea pot for your tea. The taste will be a lot different than normal glass/metal tea pot, the aroma would be great for clay teapot and cup. And even the brewing method will change the tea a lot, example sun brew, cold brew and the brew temperature.

[mommyseastar]

I bought two teapots like these when I moved out of my parents’ house into my own apartment. One has a goldfish on the top representing abundance (I was rather poor at the time) and the other has a cicada representing new birth. These beautiful art pieces helped me have direction during that time. I have them to this day and will pass them to my children.

[ronaldb]

I've been to China back in 2005 and their tea culture is no joke. Went back again ten years later in 2015 and it's still going strong. If anyone goes to China make sure to try some of the tea shops it's definitely worth it.

[Thereal_EP]

I would buy this over any pair of Jordan's. If I had the money. Once this skill of craftsman dies out there will be none left. A living treasure of the past

[idlelanefarms]

A few years back, I acutally went to nixin to experience this with a family friend who makes them for a living. He says that the clay is indeed lessening and the collection is very restricted, and the better the maker, the more zisha clay they have saved in storage. I met his apprentice too, and even made my own teapot shaped like a gourd with a frog on top. Truly unique and very very special.

[sharonkaczorowski]

If I could afford it I’d buy one by her and spend hours just looking at it! They are exquisite.

[Tracy-xezu]

Videos of people making these teapots is very relaxing and deeply satisfying. Makes me want to get one for myself.

[--Paws--]

I've seen these teapots growing up countless times. I did not realize they were so expensive and now even more rare since the ore is now restricted from being mined.

[cathoderay]

Thanks for posting. As a dedicated tea drinker, I'm now envious of anyone who possesses an example of this art form.

[GoldenSun]

This comment sections shows how unappreciative people are of eachothers work. This is a real skill that took time to cultivate. Please, don't stop sharing these wonderful videos of such classy people who carry themselves with honor.

[dub]

I’m glad stuff like this is expensive it keeps the traditions alive and in demand, I’ll be shopping at Walmart but man would love one of those.