Yixing Terracotta Teapots 宜興紫砂茶壶

The Chinese have a special method for brewing tea, which can produce remarkable results. It is called the Gungfu Cha method. Gungfu means "skill and care" or "techniques."

The Gungfu method is typically used for more complex tea like oolong and pu-erh. The typical method uses a very small teapot, preferably a Yixing-style terracotta teapot, small thimble-sized cups, bamboo tweezers, a bamboo scoop, and a tray with drains.

Everything in Gungfu service is small and delicate, revealing the elegance of the tea it promotes. If you do not have a Gungfu tea set, you can approximate the method with an ordinary teapot, though the result may not be quite as good.



Genuine Yixing Terracotta teapots are made of sandy clay found near the town of Yixing in Jiangsu province. Yixing-style teapots are made in a wide range of shapes and thickness, and are not glazed. The porous clay of an unglazed pot is seasoned by repeated infusions of tea leaves, and does not need to be cleaned.

Our Terracotta Teapot Maintenance Kit is specially designed to enhance your tea making experience with your new teapot. A properly maintained teapot can bring out the complex flavours, aromas, and textures from the tea you are steeping and become more valuable over time.