In the various types of purple clay, red clay (or Zhu Ni) has always been rather special, with its ruddy color and fine texture, making it a favorite among many Teapot enthusiasts.

Due to its shallow sandiness and difficulty in crafting, a good Zhu Ni pot is particularly hard to come by.

There are mainly three types of red clay mines in Yixing: Huanglong Mountain Zhu Ni, Xiaomeikiln Zhu Ni, and Zhaozhuang Zhu Ni. The characteristics of these clays vary based on their processing methods.

The redness of Zhu Ni is not monotonous: Huanglong Mountain's orange-red is elegant and warm; Zhaozhuang's dark red is cold and noble; while Xiaomeikiln's bright red is vibrant and luminous.

One can only truly appreciate the different charms of Zhu Ni after owning and using one.

Zhu Ni Pots:

Due to the high shrinkage and deformation rate of Zhu Ni, it is generally used for smaller products.

Some Huanglong Mountain Zhu Ni has properties between red clay and Zhu Ni, with larger particles, smaller shrinkage during drying and firing, and less tendency to wrinkle, allowing for larger pieces to be made.

The fine density of mature Zhu Ni clay means small pores and slow evaporation of water from the body. During the crystallization process, its solutes are very active, especially at peak temperatures.

Therefore, the preheating and drying time for Zhu Ni pots is longer than for red clay pots, and both heating and cooling need to be done slowly. Even a slight rush could cause cracking, rendering all efforts futile, which makes shaping Zhu Ni difficult.

Small Zhu Ni teapots were once popular in the southern regions, with names like Mengchen, Yigong, Junde, Siting…

Straight spouts, bent spouts, level spouts… all known for their small size and exquisite design.

Using Zhu Ni Pots for Tea:

When it comes to enhancing aroma, nothing beats a Zhu Ni pot.

Zhu Ni has a heavy slurry and fewer grains, making it less breathable but achieving a unique characteristic: when used for tea brewing, it enhances the aroma quickly and cleanly, producing a tight and smooth infusion with strong aftertaste and lingering flavor.

Selecting suitable tea can enhance the aroma significantly.

Due to its high density and small pores, Zhu Ni is less breathable compared to other clays, making it better suited for brewing lightly oxidized, highly aromatic teas like Taiwanese high mountain tea, Tieguanyin, Longjing, and Black Tea.

“The best of clays,” Zhu Ni offers the joy of pot-making and tea-drinking. Fans of purple clay should definitely own one.

Caring for Zhu Ni Pots:

Once you have a Zhu Ni pot, how to use it properly is also important.

Firstly, seasoning the pot: Zhu Ni pots have a higher degree of crystallization and lower absorbency after firing, so attention should be paid when seasoning. As for the tofu and sugarcane methods mentioned online, many people already have a correct understanding and do not believe such rumors.

The seasoning process for Zhu Ni pots is the same three steps: clean the inside and outside of the pot; steep commonly used tea leaves inside; then discard the tea leaves and clean the pot again. It is important to use warm water.

Secondly, warming the pot: this is why warm water is used, as we often say that Zhu Ni has a higher degree of crystallization and is also more “brittle.” When nurturing a Zhu Ni pot, the first thing to pay attention to is warming it up.

In winter, if boiling water is poured directly into the pot, the temperature difference between the inside and outside can cause the pot to crack easily.

Before brewing tea, pour warm water into the pot and over the body, then use hot water to rinse it, which is called warming the pot.

Thirdly, using the pot: during the process of using a Zhu Ni pot, many people use small Zhu Ni pots to brew Gongfu tea and often rinse the exterior with tea liquor, in which case a tea cloth is usually prepared for wiping.

This wiping is correct, preventing the pot from staining and keeping it clean, but it is important not to vigorously wipe it with a dry cloth unnecessarily. Over time, this will indeed make the pot shinier, but this is akin to polishing, not a natural patina.

Finally, diligent use and care will naturally result in a well-nurtured Zhu Ni pot!