Original mine Dicong Qing is the top-grade material among purple clays, akin to being the “top student” in its category.

Not only is it widely loved by pot enthusiasts, but it was also the most favored clay by the late master of zisha, Gu Jingzhou.

It can be said that owning a pure and outstanding Dicong Qing zisha Teapot is one of every player's wish lists.

What is Dicong Qing?

Dicong Qing originates from Huanglong Mountain in Yixing, Jiangsu, and belongs to the premium ore materials among purple clays. It was originally produced from the No. 4 pit in Huanglong Mountain, later from the No. 5 pit and Taisi mine, with the No. 4 pit being the best!

What is meant by Dicong Qing?

In the past, purple clay was called blue clay, and as it is buried deep within the mountain, ancestors primarily relied on experience for exploration, conducting trench probes. Typically, purple clay was found at the bottom of these trenches (the bottom trench), hence the term “Dicong Qing” (bottom trench blue clay) became customary.

Regarding Dicong Qing, there are names like “No. 1 Dicong Qing,” “No. 2 Dicong Qing,” Toucang Qing, and Er (or Zhong) Cang Qing, with various explanations due to different nomenclatures!

Characteristics of Dicong Qing

Chicken Eyes

The first characteristic of Dicong Qing is closely related to its mineral layer. There are many circular mineral spots on the original Dicong Qing ore, which belong to an accompanying mineral of Benshan green clay, known in the industry as “chicken eyes.” Due to these mineral spots, the first characteristic of Dicong Qing is: there are many yellow particles on the finished teapot, which are produced by chicken eyes.

Color

The second characteristic of Dicong Qing is its color after firing. Dicong Qing is more heat-resistant than ordinary Qingni clay. Generally, after firing, it presents a liver color, with a reddish hue.

Dicong Qing is loved not only because of its rare and high-quality ore but also because the finished teapot has excellent breathability and ease of brewing and maintenance. In just a few months, the color becomes very deep and rich, with a lustrous and oily finish.

Pear Skin Effect

Genuine Dicong Qing from Huanglong Mountain all have a pear skin effect. This pear skin effect is not the coarse granular feel of pear skin red clay; it is related to the mineral material of Dicong Qing. Regardless of the mesh size—40, 60, or 100—the subtle pear skin effect will appear on the surface of the finished teapot. One needs to personally handle a pure Dicong Qing zisha teapot to truly appreciate it.

Dicong Qing, since it is mined from the deepest layers of zisha, has exceptionally pure quality and is firm and glossy after firing. Its finished product has a natural and simple texture, dignified and generous.

The original ore from Huanglong Mountain has an oily feel, and the deeper the layer, the stronger the oiliness. Surface mud and deep well mud from Huanglong Mountain are two different concepts, similar to the distinction between seed material and mountain material in Hetian jade. Deep well mud, nourished by cold and clear groundwater for a long time, has an appearance like the inner wall of a shell, crystal clear and translucent.

Taking Dicong Qing from Pit No. 4 as an example, the Dicong Qing from Pit No. 4 also belongs to deep well clay. After brewing and maintenance, it has abundant oiliness.

Using Dicong Qing to brew Tea results in a fragrant infusion, with rapid changes during brewing and maintenance. After brewing and maintenance, the teapot feels even more warm and full, and the tea infusion retains its lingering aroma, truly embodying the artistic charm of “purple jade and golden sand.”

The golden sand grains are the result of firing the chicken eyes in the mineral material. Once brewed and maintained, they become lustrous like purple jade, with faint golden specks sparkling like stars, truly embodying the artistic charm of “purple jade and golden sand.”

Dicong Qing has particularly good breathability, so it is suitable for a wide range of teas. Whether brewing raw pu-erh, ripe Pu-erh, green tea, black tea, or rock tea, it has excellent compatibility with the tea leaves.

Therefore, when using Dicong Qing to brew tea, you don't need to worry about whether it is suitable or not; simply choose your favorite type of tea.

1. Scarce raw material, diminishing supply

Generally speaking, what people recognize as Dicong Qing mostly comes from the former Pit No. 4 and Pit No. 5 in Huanglong Mountain, both relatively rare clays.

In the mid-1990s, Pit No. 4 had to be closed due to issues with groundwater infiltration, and in 2005, it was officially sealed off. Currently, there is a limited amount of Dicong Qing from Pit No. 4 remaining in the world, and genuine high-quality material is never cheap.

This is also one of the reasons why zisha Teapots made from Dicong Qing from Pit No. 4 are more valuable than those made from many other types of clay. For this reason, Dicong Qing from Pit No. 4 has always been highly sought after by pot enthusiasts, often making it difficult to find a single teapot.

However, Dicong Qing has not completely disappeared. A small amount of Dicong Qing still exists at the bottom of ordinary purple clay mines, though it is not as precious as that from Pit No. 4 and Pit No. 5.

2. Fake clays impersonating, difficult for beginners to distinguish

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