There are many opinions about buying and maintaining a zisha Teapot, some of which are quite extreme or peculiar, leaving newcomers feeling lost and confused.

However, there's no need to be so complicated or alarmed!

Just follow these tips:

1. If you're simply using the teapot for Drinking Tea and not collecting, there's little difference between fully handmade and semi-handmade Teapots. Don't obsess over whether it's fully handmade or not; go with what you like!

2. Using sound to determine the quality of a zisha teapot is nonsense; information found on Baidu isn't always accurate! Tapping the teapot can actually harm it, and different types of clay produce different sounds. Moreover, a new teapot will sound different before and after its first brewing.

3. When preparing your teapot for use, be thorough in removing any impurities and dust. It will be too late if you think about it later when you've already made progress in maintenance. Preparing the teapot is simple: just rinse it with boiling water to remove the earthy smell. Soaking it with tea, sugarcane, or tofu as suggested online is misleading.

4. Avoid placing your teapot in areas with smoke, odors (including pleasant and unpleasant smells), or excessive dust, as this can affect the color and texture of the teapot and the quality of the tea.

5. If you frequently drink tea, prepare several teapots and rotate their use, allowing them to rest periodically. Also, it makes sense to use one teapot for one type of tea, as zisha teapots absorb flavors and prevent mixing of tastes.

6. Drink all the tea, and once finished, thoroughly clean the inside and outside of the teapot, dry it, leave the lid open, and let it air-dry upside down until completely dry. After each use, avoid leaving tea in the pot; rinse it with hot water instead, much like washing dishes after meals, to maintain the teapot's quality and brewing performance.

7. After each brewing, clear out the tea leaves and rinse the teapot with hot water both inside and out. Wipe the exterior, leave the lid open, and let it air-dry naturally in a well-ventilated area.

8. Don't drink tea solely for the purpose of maintaining your teapot. Take things easy and enjoy the process; there's no rush. Savor the tea and life itself.

9. Drinking tea and maintaining a teapot are both elegant pursuits that require a calm mindset. Don't excessively polish or scrub your teapot while drinking tea. This is not advisable.

10. Pouring tea over the teapot has its benefits, as it helps prevent discoloration between the lid and body and covers minor flaws. For external maintenance, pour tea over the teapot, allow it to absorb, then rinse with hot water and wipe clean, avoiding any tea stains. Different water sources also affect teapot maintenance. Bottled or containerized mineral water contains many minerals, so always clean the teapot surface promptly to avoid leaving water marks that could become difficult to remove over time.

11. Having two towels on hand is essential: one damp for cleaning and one dry for wiping. Choose softer, more absorbent towels that dry quickly. Additionally, having a small brush for detailed work is necessary, and you understand why.

12. Avoid touching the teapot with oily hands, and don't store it in smoky areas. Keep it in a dry place free from dust when not in use. Most importantly, keep the teapot away from children.

A zisha teapot does not depreciate with use; rather, it becomes “newer” and better over time. One should not aim to accumulate a layer of tea scale and consider it well-maintained. If the teapot is of poor quality, your goal may be achieved as the quality won't be noticeable. However, if it's a high-quality teapot, treating it this way would be disrespectful to the artisan, as it would obscure the teapot's value.

Reminder: There are no true secrets to maintaining a teapot. There are no shortcuts. Simply keep the teapot clean and dry when not in use, and regularly polish it. Over time, through regular use, it will reward you with a beautiful, smooth, and top-notch appearance. Maintaining the teapot is part of the tea-drinking process, not the goal itself, so don't lose sight of what's important.

Source: Zisha Teapot Encyclopedia, sharing information is valuable. If there are copyright issues, please contact us to have the content removed.