Tue Jul 23, 2019 9:05 pm
Hello Tea Mates!
The amaze of tea culture bringing all here, I hope to contribute a little from the aspect of being a local folk from the very origin place of Yixing zisha teapot. Actually, from business occasions I became a fan of oolong leaves BEFORE being more interested in teapots.
My family business has been all about teapots but I've been an exception since graduation from university, took a job, burying myself into business of global industrial products in the past 10years during which I've been travelling a lot too across the world and occasionally saw various styles of tea shops scattered over the worldwith zisha teapots on shelves.
I notice that Yixing/teapot is quite a hot topic still and everyone is willing to share with others the personal collections on hand. Also, I notice there's still a gap of acknowledgement about our teapots between tea fans in and outside China. Overseas availability of various teapot styles, designs and high cost-performance ones is quite limited I should say, there maybe three reasons(from marketing perspective of views):
A. Maybe due to the filtering control by traders on sourcing and procurement guided by their targeted margin with their clients' fixed middle-low level of price acceptance (relatively compared to the one of China domestic market which has increased obviously during the last 6-7 years). Overseas sales costs are definitely higher than our locals, they have international logistic costs , operational team's pay and mainland Invoice taxes (when they try to get the shipment out, this becomes mandatory I think). Deals among our locals basically no taxes at all.
B. Or, our locals wouldn't like to sell extreme low-profit teapots to outsiders, especially not to sell those consuming moderate or good local clays which are of low accessibility. e.g. with certain quantity of stock of clay on hand, one brand or one workshop wouldn't hesitate to make them into teapots or other zisha accessories of higher value and at higher price acceptance by clients.
C. There're still old stock of traders outside Yixing who are aiming for overseas market to consume their burden of previous years' of stock. Global economic problem and zisha-storm(negative) influence both contributed on the later weak demand.
D. The limitation/guidance of traders outside of Yixing on valuing the worth of a zisha teapot among 'old' and 'modern'. But I also notice more and more overseas fan become more realistic and professional on choosing between the two. Aftercall, whether modern or old, quality of clay, techniques of art skills are both being considered when purchasing. More, nowadays, local young artists are also creative on designs and the value of their works are being recognized more and more at least both at home and abroad.
Economic development during the last 6-7 years further levelled-up mainland China's ability of spending money. Thus, teapot sales makes good money than long before that. That's why this business attracted more people from other cities here in Yixing. Roughly there're 50,000 people in this zisha teaware & accessory business, almost half of them are non-locals who brought with them new decoration techniques and craftmanship from other teaware culture.
It's quite a pity that many good and affordable choices are not being presented to people who really have passion on it but having to stay away from it just because of the tagged beyond-budget prices, or limited choices of design and styles, or because of many doubts on the raw materials but having no one to provide insight advice.
Hope what I've learned about local zisha business and my subjective passion in this hobby could help people get what they really like from less barriers and have more choices within budgets.
Joe
How long have you been drinking tea?
Only 5-6 years if counting from the time when brewing a tea became of my daily habit
What kind of tea do you drink?
Yancha(favorite Oolong-natural gardenia species), Puers, Zhejiang Baicha(Green tea), Yixing Black(newly categorized into Chinese tea system), Yixing local green teas.
How do you prepare your tea?
Mostly brewing them in zisha teapots. Sometimes in glass wares with green leaves.
What tea knowledge are you interested in exploring right now?
The different understandings and the degree of people's acknowledgement of zisha and leaves.
What factors lead you to delve into the world of tea, and what is keeping you there?
Firstly driven by global business atmosphere, people are talking about teas during business too. Tea is a good media for every topics.
Later, amazed and get a little addictive to leaves from different places.
What is your location?
Dingshu Town, Yixing 214221, Jiangsu, Yixing.
If anyone come across my region, welcome to drop by, I can show you around. Free guide (LOL).
By high speed train (foreigner can buy tickets on our APP just as we locals do but need to claim the paper tickets at station offices before boarding)
40mins between Nanjing and Yixing(one train per roughly10-20min),
40mins between Hangzhou(east) and Yixing(one train per roughly10-20min),
2H30mins between Shanghai(Hongqiao) and Yixing(one train per roughly 30min-connecting trains at Hangzhou East),
5H(roughly) between Beijing and Yixing (direct train).
Generally, there are direct trains between Majority Chinese cities and Yixing. If anyone has a plan to visit, feel free to ask me for assitance.
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