brewing tea and Drinking Tea is an enjoyable and delightful pastime that entertains both oneself and others. It is also an art of living and a form of enjoyment. Nourishing a Teapot has evolved from the act of brewing tea, and today it stands as an art form in its own right. Sipping tea while admiring and discussing the teapot is a supreme pleasure. A teapot is like a cradle nurturing the aroma of tea. Using a fine teapot to Brew good tea can significantly enhance the experience of tea tasting.

Before discussing how to nourish a teapot, let's talk about the purpose and value of doing so. Many people believe that a teapot must be nurtured to gain value, which is somewhat different from artistic value. The true value of a teapot lies in the artist's creative concept and the effort invested, or its historical significance. The primary purpose of nourishing a teapot is the interaction between the user and the process of brewing tea and nurturing the pot. As the teapot comes into contact with tea water over time and through repeated brewing, it undergoes changes due to the absorption of tea. Additionally, with each use and caress, the color of the teapot becomes more beautiful and lustrous. Gradually, a subtle emotional bond forms, making one even more fond of the teapot. This kind of value exists within one's heart, not as an external value.

A good teapot retains its value whether it is nurtured or not, and an ordinary teapot will not command a higher price just because it has been nurtured. If the price increases, it is likely due to the owner's emotional attachment to the teapot, not because of the effects of nurturing. There are many Teapots on the market that claim to have been well-nurtured or used for a long time, but most of these are intentionally cultivated. If someone resorts to extreme measures to nurture a teapot, using materials of unknown safety to human health, then they are going down the wrong path. Furthermore, some teapots that claim to have been well-nurtured have obscured the original texture and quality of the clay, making it impossible to discern the material, color, or craftsmanship. There is no question of artistic value in such cases.

Methods for nurturing teapots vary widely, and many of them are misleading, even bizarre and incomprehensible. We won't delve into those here. Nourishing a teapot is like cultivating a sapling; forcing growth might yield quick results, but it lacks naturalness. Only by patiently maintaining and caring for the teapot in daily use, without rushing, can you fully display your efforts on the teapot.

Handling New Teapots:

1. Some new teapots may have wax, oil, or earthy and impure odors applied to their surfaces. Before using a new teapot, it needs proper preparation. A simple method is to first rinse it with hot water, then scrub it with toothpaste and a toothbrush. After thoroughly rinsing it clean, pour boiling water over it once more. Place tea leaves inside and add boiling water, cover the teapot, and pour boiling water over the exterior. Let the teapot absorb the tea flavor for a period of time, then discard the tea leaves and water. After rinsing with hot water, you can start brewing tea.

2. When initiating the use of a new teapot, take care to thoroughly remove any small sand particles, impurities, and dust. It will be too late if you neglect this step and only think about it later when you've already started to nurture the teapot.

3. A teapot made from inferior clay doesn't necessarily mean it contains chemical additives. Some teapots may have impure sand in the clay, containing iron, calcium carbonate, or too much grog, or the clay hasn't aged sufficiently or wasn't fired at a high enough temperature, etc. During the initiation process, repeatedly boil and steep the teapot, allowing it to release impurities and clay during thermal expansion and contraction.

Daily Care for Nourishing Teapots:

1. If the teapot is for practical use rather than collection, there isn't much difference between hand-made and semi-hand-made teapots. Semi-hand-made teapots offer better value for money. Masters of hand-made teapots generally pat the clay into sheets with about ten strikes, resulting in good double porosity after firing. Semi-hand-made teapots are formed by molds, possibly making them tighter, which theoretically might reduce breathability slightly. However, I haven't noticed this slight difference yet.

2. Teapots made from high-quality clay show the effects of nurturing faster, while those made from poor clay take longer. Choosing a teapot made from good clay can make the nurturing process more efficient.

3. Rinse the interior and exterior of the teapot with hot water before brewing tea to warm the pot, eliminate moldy odors, and sterilize it.

4. During tea brewing, due to the extremely high water temperature, the pores of the teapot expand slightly, causing water vapor to cover the entire pot. Between brews, use a clean cotton cloth or tea towel to wipe off any tea water, then polish the teapot with a dry cloth. Consistently doing this will give the teapot a lustrous appearance, making it hard to put down.

5. After each brewing session, clear out the tea leaves and water, rinse the interior and exterior of the teapot with hot water, and wipe it clean. Leave the lid open and allow the teapot to air-dry naturally in a well-ventilated area.

6. Frequent tea drinkers should prepare several teapots to rotate among, giving each teapot a chance to dry out thoroughly. Generally, after three consecutive days of use, a teapot should rest for three days, ensuring it does not become damp.

7. Do not immerse the teapot in water while brewing tea. Some people pour hot water into a tea tray to keep the teapot warm, but this practice does not aid in nurturing the teapot and can leave uneven coloring on the surface.

8. Some people advocate leaving tea dregs and tea water in the teapot overnight, referring to it as “the mountain of tea in the pot.” However, since our region is subtropical, with high temperatures and humidity, if the teapot is not properly ventilated and dried, the tea water can spoil, imparting unpleasant odors and mold. This not only affects the quality of the tea but could also harm health, which is counterproductive and not advisable.

9. Avoid placing the teapot in areas with smoke, strong odors (including fragrances and foul smells), or excessive dust, as these factors can affect the color and texture of the teapot and degrade the quality of the tea.

10. Do not wash the teapot with chemical cleaners, as doing so not only removes the absorbed tea flavor but also strips away the teapot's exterior luster and may absorb the cleaner's scent.

11. Internal nurturing is the correct approach, though it is slow.