Know your clay
Yixing clay comes in three main families: purple zini, red zhuni and sandy duanni.
Read the clay in three steps
Start with color
Color hints at the family, but don't trust it alone. Kiln heat shifts it, and some shades come from added metal oxides.
Feel the grain
Zisha is ground rock. Coarse grinds leave a sandy, speckled skin; fine grinds feel smooth.
Learn how it behaves
Drinkers call zini the all-rounder with body and zhuni bright. Duanni is pale, and people often use it for lighter teas.
It starts as stone, not mud.
Good to know
What is Yixing clay made of?
It is a rock-like ore dug near Yixing, rich in iron, quartz and mica. It is weathered, ground, mixed with water and rested before potters use it.
What does zisha mean?
Zisha means 'purple sand.' The name comes from the common purple color and gritty feel, though some kinds fire red or yellow.
Is Yixing clay safe?
It is generally considered safe when it is genuine clay with nothing added. The worry is colorants or contamination in some cheap pots, which you can't spot by eye.
