Yixing advice

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Youzi
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Fri Apr 02, 2021 5:16 am

3rdfolder wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:44 am
Hi!

Can you tell the difference a lao zhuni (aged 20 years +) vs below 20 years would make on green/high mountain oolongs and roasted oolong? Is it less muting?
Thanks
How long the clay has been aged doesn't matter form a tea drinking point of view.

It just means how long the processed clay was sitting in a storage room.
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Bok
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Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:09 pm

Bok wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 2:17 am
3rdfolder wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:44 am
Hi!

Can you tell the difference a lao zhuni (aged 20 years +) vs below 20 years would make on green/high mountain oolongs and roasted oolong? Is it less muting?
Thanks
What a lot of crap. Forget about this kind of idiotic statements some might make. I dare anyone to be able to taste the difference in a blind test.
Just a little clarification, my annoyance wasn’t directed at you, but rather at those who plant these odd ideas in people’s heads!

Hope my abrupt reaction didn’t discourage you, it’s hot here and the fuse can be short :)
Last edited by Bok on Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Youzi
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Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:15 pm

Bok wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:09 pm
Bok wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 2:17 am
3rdfolder wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:44 am
Hi!

Can you tell the difference a lao zhuni (aged 20 years +) vs below 20 years would make on green/high mountain oolongs and roasted oolong? Is it less muting?
Thanks
What a lot of crap. Forget about this kind of idiotic statements some might make. I dare anyone to be able to taste the difference in a blind test.
Just a little clarification, my annoyance was directed at you, bu rather at those who plant these odd ideas in people’s heads!

Hope my abrupt reaction didn’t discourage you, it’s hot here and the fuse can be short :)
I think you meant "wasn't" :D
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Bok
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Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:20 pm

@Youzi oh sch... ye of course, wasn’t! Edited in the original post...
3rdfolder
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Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:37 pm

Bok wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 7:09 pm
Bok wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 2:17 am
3rdfolder wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:44 am
Hi!

Can you tell the difference a lao zhuni (aged 20 years +) vs below 20 years would make on green/high mountain oolongs and roasted oolong? Is it less muting?
Thanks
What a lot of crap. Forget about this kind of idiotic statements some might make. I dare anyone to be able to taste the difference in a blind test.
Just a little clarification, my annoyance wasn’t directed at you, but rather at those who plant these odd ideas in people’s heads!

Hope my abrupt reaction didn’t discourage you, it’s hot here and the fuse can be short :)
Thank you Bok for saying that. I almost cried 🤣

Yeah, I'm looking for a zhuni as a first purchase mostly for greens, green oolong, a few aged roasted oolong. I like the look and esthetics of a clay pot vs my kind of boring porcelaine gaiwan. Zhuni seems appropriate. Still reading. It's a whole new world for me.

I'm from the Western countries, so finding any hongni pre 77 is quite an impossible task. So I'm looking at the modern teapots right now.

What's white vs green label btw? And why people are looking for F1?

Sorry for the noob questions
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Bok
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Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:06 pm

@3rdfolder

Glad you didn’t take it to heart :)

Green and white label refer to certain periods of the now defunct Yixing Factory 1, where most of these teapots for a long period were made until the dissolution and separation into private workshops.

Most collectors only consider until green label so late 70- early 80s. Reasons are up to debate, but that’s a deep and confusing topic. You’ll find some info around this forum if you want to dig in.

I’d not recommend a Zhuni for a relative beginner, I’d maybe go for something that has a little more obvious effect on tea, like Hongni or Zini. Again a deep and confusing topic, it takes time to find your way. My advice is to read and observe more, before you commit.

I’d recommend the newly made pots from Essence of tea or Teaswelike as a good and safe introduction. Vintage is possible also for Westerners but I don’t recommend it if you do not know yet what you are looking at. Ask questions around here, you’ll find us helpful, albeit as I demonstrated, sometimes grumpy :)
3rdfolder
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Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:53 pm

Bok wrote:
Fri Apr 02, 2021 9:06 pm
@3rdfolder

Glad you didn’t take it to heart :)

Green and white label refer to certain periods of the now defunct Yixing Factory 1, where most of these teapots for a long period were made until the dissolution and separation into private workshops.

Most collectors only consider until green label so late 70- early 80s. Reasons are up to debate, but that’s a deep and confusing topic. You’ll find some info around this forum if you want to dig in.

I’d not recommend a Zhuni for a relative beginner, I’d maybe go for something that has a little more obvious effect on tea, like Hongni or Zini. Again a deep and confusing topic, it takes time to find your way. My advice is to read and observe more, before you commit.

I’d recommend the newly made pots from Essence of tea or Teaswelike as a good and safe introduction. Vintage is possible also for Westerners but I don’t recommend it if you do not know yet what you are looking at. Ask questions around here, you’ll find us helpful, albeit as I demonstrated, sometimes grumpy :)
Thank you for the advice.

As you have suggested, I wouldn't dive into vintage right now, but rather newly made pots.

I have found a few sellers, that seem trustable? Mudandleaf, Yinchenstudio, yannartgallery, eot, chantingpines, just to name a few from my search.

Considering what I drink atm, I thought Zhuni or hongni would be my starting point, as they seem to be less muting than zini. I also don't drink pu ert right now, so I kind of discarded zini for now.

From what I understand hongni is more of an umbrella term, but can be also a specific clay.

At least, I won't have to look for a lao zhuni 🤣

I also have a certain preference for certain pot shape. I know I like simple, seamless lines, classic, minimalist. Something like, si ting, xishi, pear shape, dragon egg shape with short straight beak for fast pouring.

I also understand the clay quality and sourcing is probably more important than the national level of craftmanship. There are so many artisans from those online retailers, that it is hard to look for one in particular. The clay sourcing is not always clear. I like the way Yannartgallery identifes the source of theirs although it is not always specific. Still, it is more reassuring...

I'm also looking for a fully handmade pot. I value, and appreciate hardwork, and intensive labor (not saying that half handmade is easy, and not requiring a lot of work). There is something special and imperfectly perfect in a fully handmade pot. Maybe it is just me 🤣

That sums up what I understand so far.

I do enjoy the journey of studing and reading about yixing. So, I am in no rush in buying one.

Question: I see that yannartgallery accepts requests for custom made pot... have any one tried this before?

Thanks
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Bok
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Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:12 am

I wouldn’t exclude Zini so fast. It’s the largest group of Yixing clays and the properties can vary wildly. It can do much more than just brew Puerh...

From the vendors above, all seem ok, they sell teapots and won’t rip you off as far as that goes. Chanting pines I do find over priced across the whole range, be it old or new. I don’t see how their pots are much different than the other vendors, they even seem to share some sources with Eot.
Andrew S
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Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:34 am

Aside from agreeing with @Bok, as a fellow Westerner, I might just add that you should probably think of your first teapot as your first small step on a long journey of discovery, and you should probably assume that you'll fall in and out of love with your first teapot as time moves on.

Every pot has a story to tell. At this stage, it's mostly about learning what you can from others, understanding and minimising your risk, aiming for a vendor who won't sell you an objectively-bad teapot, and then learning more as you use your first pot.

Andrew
3rdfolder
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Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:36 am

Bok wrote:
Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:12 am
I wouldn’t exclude Zini so fast. It’s the largest group of Yixing clays and the properties can vary wildly. It can do much more than just brew Puerh...

From the vendors above, all seem ok, they sell teapots and won’t rip you off as far as that goes. Chanting pines I do find over priced across the whole range, be it old or new. I don’t see how their pots are much different than the other vendors, they even seem to share some sources with Eot.
I see! You are right! Maybe Di Cao Qing could be another alternative...
3rdfolder
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Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:36 am

Andrew S wrote:
Sat Apr 03, 2021 12:34 am
Aside from agreeing with Bok, as a fellow Westerner, I might just add that you should probably think of your first teapot as your first small step on a long journey of discovery, and you should probably assume that you'll fall in and out of love with your first teapot as time moves on.

Every pot has a story to tell. At this stage, it's mostly about learning what you can from others, understanding and minimising your risk, aiming for a vendor who won't sell you an objectively-bad teapot, and then learning more as you use your first pot.

Andrew
Thank you for your wise words
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TeaTotaling
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Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:49 am

Zhuni color comparison. Old vs New.
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faj
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Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:03 pm

TeaTotaling wrote:
Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:49 am
Zhuni color comparison. Old vs New.
Out of curiosity, does either undergo a change in color when filled with hot water?
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TeaTotaling
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Sat Apr 10, 2021 2:18 pm

faj wrote:
Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:03 pm
TeaTotaling wrote:
Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:49 am
Zhuni color comparison. Old vs New.
Out of curiosity, does either undergo a change in color when filled with hot water?
They do! Both darken, and glow a fiery red.
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Bok
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Sat Apr 10, 2021 8:47 pm

TeaTotaling wrote:
Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:49 am
Zhuni color comparison. Old vs New.
Image
Worth mentioning that as far as old Zhuni is concerned, the colour palette is very broad. I’ve had both of these colour expressions above, and more orange, more red, light brown, purple and all of the above in one pot, so... what’s more useful to look at is the certain, hard to describe sheen, that is very different in old vs new pots.

The colour change is characteristic of Zhuni but also of high quality Yixing clays in general (at least in my experience).
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