Some enthusiasts may ask, “Is it good for a Purple Clay Teapot to retain water?”

“Is there a direct correlation between how quickly or slowly a purple clay Teapot dries after being poured over with water and the quality of its clay?”

“Can we determine the authenticity of a purple clay teapot based on how fast the water dries after pouring it over the pot?”

In fact, whether a purple clay teapot dries quickly or slowly after being poured over with water has no direct relation to the quality of the clay itself, and we cannot solely judge the authenticity of a teapot based on how fast the water dries.

Answer

Today, let's delve into this topic in detail. Interested friends can continue reading below.

01

Three factors affecting water retention

The water retention we are referring to is the phenomenon when Tea or hot water is poured over the exterior of a purple clay teapot, and the water either slides off or gradually disappears from the surface.

Purple clay Teapots retaining water mainly involves three aspects:

1. Shape of the teapot;

2. Skill with the brightening needle;

3. The mesh size of the clay, which refers to the coarseness or fineness of the clay.

Shape of the Teapot

From the perspective of shape, teapots like the Sishi (Mistress) and Longdan (Dragon Egg) have smooth and flat surfaces, so they do not retain water and dry quickly.

Teapots like the Gongchun, with uneven surfaces, make it harder for water droplets to slide off, thus drying more slowly.

Si Ting (dries quickly)

Gongchun (dries slowly)

Skill with the Brightening Needle

During the making process of a purple clay teapot, the surface of the unglazed teapot is refined using a brightening needle.

A skilled craftsman will repeatedly scrape the body of the teapot with a buffalo horn piece to bring out the slurry from the clay.

Buffalo Horn Piece

Brightening Needle

After the use of the brightening needle, the surface of the teapot is made smooth and fine, and even before firing, the teapot is glossy enough to reflect light.

▲Teapot Body After Use of Brightening Needle

Such a teapot has better crystallization during firing, and after coming out of the kiln, it has a lustrous and shiny appearance. The resistance to water flow is small, and the water retention is not obvious.

On the contrary, if the skill with the brightening needle is inadequate, there are more burrs and rough edges on the surface, increasing the resistance to water flow, and the water retention is more noticeable.

Clay

Firstly, everyone should know that the higher the mesh size, the finer the sand material.

The mesh size does not have a significant relationship with the absorbency of a purple clay teapot.

However, the finer the surface (higher mesh size), the faster the water flows, while a coarser surface (lower mesh size) retains more water.

Secondly, some types of clay naturally have better absorbency, so the water retention is not particularly obvious.

▲Red Jiangpo Clay Little Lotus Teapot

02

Waxed Teapots Do Not Retain Water

Waxed teapots available in the market do not show water retention after being poured over with warm water; instead, the water forms beads or simply runs off.

Fake teapots available in the market: teapots made from fake clay, chemically treated teapots, hand-pulled purple clay teapots, and old teapots coated with shoe polish to appear authentic.

Fake Clay Chemically Treated Teapot

Old Teapot Coated with Shoe Polish to Appear Authentic

Hand-Pulled Purple Clay Teapot (Not Chaozhou Red Clay Teapot)

Internal Spiral Pattern

Effect of Patina on Water Retention

Many new teapots still retain water when first obtained. However, after some use, when tea or hot water is poured over them, you may notice that the water no longer lingers but slides off quickly.

This is because after some use, good-quality