Before ROC they did not really put additives in Yixing clay (well, in the Ming dynasty they sometimes added quartz powder to reduce shrinkage in the kiln, but that is safe, later they sometimes used pre-fired ground clay for a similar purpose, but they did not use additives of concern as far as I know). Only from ROC and after they started adding more questionable stuff (you can see early experiments with cobalt oxide for instance in the works by Wang Yinchun and Gu Jingzhou), and only in the 1980s they started adding barium to prevent efflorescence. Recently people are testing clay with EDXRF to check the composition, and a few different sources offer lab-tested teapots. So it depends on the pot, for some pots we can have a pretty good idea that they are safe, for other pots (e.g. post 1980s pots that haven't been lab tested) we do not know for sure (probably many are fine though).
Yixing
Last edited by steanze on Thu May 04, 2023 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I agree that they would not intentionally sell something harmful, the potential risk is that they might not have fully understood what these are, and so they might have made a mistake in good faith.
@steanze Thanks for taking the time to share all of this information. Helpfully puts things in better context. Would you go so far as to say all yixing post 1980 are possibly unsafe, with the addition of barium? From my understanding, EDXRF only tests for 10 elements at this time.
@ferg I think this is a matter of personal preference and risk aversion in the absence of data, and I merely felt compelled to mention it for your own consideration as someone from the more cautious end of the spectrum.
My concern would be that the makers of these pots concocted a clay slurry with low quality base material fit for injection, potentially with unconsidered additives to achieve a colour in the end product, with no benefit to the tea making process beyond potential thermal properties of being a clay pot, but I cannot confidently say that any compounds with potential adverse long-term health implications would leech out of these pots.
The sloppy look alone would not bother me either, but the rushed finishing is yet another indication of the degree of conscientiousness of the makers, skewing my personal opinion away from use because it is so unlikely that the clay works particularly well. I think this is a very high volume and very low material cost production, not conceived to make great tea, but primarily to look like a tea pot.
My concern would be that the makers of these pots concocted a clay slurry with low quality base material fit for injection, potentially with unconsidered additives to achieve a colour in the end product, with no benefit to the tea making process beyond potential thermal properties of being a clay pot, but I cannot confidently say that any compounds with potential adverse long-term health implications would leech out of these pots.
The sloppy look alone would not bother me either, but the rushed finishing is yet another indication of the degree of conscientiousness of the makers, skewing my personal opinion away from use because it is so unlikely that the clay works particularly well. I think this is a very high volume and very low material cost production, not conceived to make great tea, but primarily to look like a tea pot.
Liberal mindset has little to do with what is being sold... Liberals/Conservatives anyone can f you over if that is how they choose to do business. But – as you paid low, you did not have reason to expect anything good in the first place. As far as I am concerned a dollar per pot is still too high for occupying space in my home.ferg wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 7:21 pmThanks Bok. Who is to really say the clay on other yixing is safe, how do we really know? I may give them a go, these have taken on a nice cinnamon smell, possibly where they were stored. I got these from a vendor based out of San Fran, possibly the most Lib place on Earth. Difficult to believe they would sell clay of questionable or even dangerous quality.
Also, as Steanze mentioned, a lot of people know very little.
Sorry mate, same garbage just in a bigger pile...
as I unboxed it...
Concerns about safety in this particular context are certainly valid, but I would just add to what Bok and Steanze have said by asking, why drink tea from a pot that'll probably make the tea worse?
The purpose of using Yixing pots is to improve the tea, or at least to change how it presents. Bad pots from questionable clay are unlikely to assist. If anything, they'll give you an incorrect perception of how genuine clay (whether modern or old) tends to perform. There's not much useful information that you can extrapolate from a bad pot.
Andrew
The purpose of using Yixing pots is to improve the tea, or at least to change how it presents. Bad pots from questionable clay are unlikely to assist. If anything, they'll give you an incorrect perception of how genuine clay (whether modern or old) tends to perform. There's not much useful information that you can extrapolate from a bad pot.
Andrew
No, I wouldn't say that. Personally I don't think barium in Yixing teapots is a major health concern. The level of risk one is comfortable with is a personal matter...
I appreciate everyone’s feedback. I will take concerns into consideration. I realize these pots aren’t up to normal standards of pots I’ve purchased, but I went out on a whim given price point. Yixing is definitely more foreign territory for me compared to kyusu.
It can happen to everyone to pay some tuition - but it's great that you got started with Yixing pots! You can keep them as examples of what slip cast teapots look like. And after this, you will probably be able to recognize when a "Yixing" pot is slip cast and to avoid it.ferg wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 8:14 pmI appreciate everyone’s feedback. I will take concerns into consideration. I realize these pots aren’t up to normal standards of pots I’ve purchased, but I went out on a whim given price point. Yixing is definitely more foreign territory for me compared to kyusu.
Haha, this definitely qualifies as a liberal interpretation of the truth. Either ignorant in even the most basic knowledge of Yixing , or consciously misleading.
@Bok Not that it improves my street cred any, but I only saw pictures of the one, no lines evident to this naked eye. Bought the other three blind. Now not sure what to do with them, house decor, flower pot?
They have taken on a wonderful cinnamon aroma, immediately apparent when first opening the box. I may end up keeping just to smell them from time to time. Perhaps I’ll brew up a cup in time just to test what has been said here. Surely a few brews can’t hurt, much.
They have taken on a wonderful cinnamon aroma, immediately apparent when first opening the box. I may end up keeping just to smell them from time to time. Perhaps I’ll brew up a cup in time just to test what has been said here. Surely a few brews can’t hurt, much.
