Yixing clay, also called zisha, is a special material collected in China, in the city of Yixing. This area gained popularity thanks to clay products, mainly teapots. They are made 20 km from the city of Isin, where more than 70% of the population is employed in production.
Clay, which is similar to Ying clay, is found in many places today, however, the material described in the article has a high content of silicate fine particles and kaolin, which after firing allows to achieve a porous structure and oily sheen. None of the analogues have such an effect.
To Yixing pottery
A vessel with a lid, spout and handle has existed in ancient cultures since the Bronze Age. Previously, it was made of tin, gold, silver and copper, and was used during feasts for wine and water. However, then no one could have thought that it was possible to make tea in it.
The emergence of a Chinese teapot is associated with a change in the way a tea drink is consumed. In ancient times, it was boiled in boilers, after which ground crumbs were poured with boiling water, whipping into thick foam. Then the tradition of brewing a tea leaf came into use, then a teapot appeared.
Varieties of Yixing clay and its features
Yixing clay in products after firing can have open and closed pores, which provide slow cooling of dishes, and when brewing tea “breathes”. There are three types of material that can be divided:
To form a gamut of colors, which varies from black to yellow, clays are mixed, mineral and organic substances are added to them, and during the production process, the firing temperature changes. Yixing clay is strictly regulated, because its reserves are limited, so in the end it is possible to obtain high-quality products that are of high cost.
Clay can be divided into two types, as it lies in separate layers. The uppermost one is plastic, all of the following are petrified. Soft material is considered the worst, everyday utensils are made from it. Yixing clay contains a huge amount of kaolin, which allows you to burn products, affecting them with temperatures up to 1200 ° C. If ordinary clay were used, then the products would simply melt. Because of this, teapots are fragile, but quite hard.
Reviews about Yixing clay
Consumers characterize clay extracted from Yixing areas as loose and elastic material, characterized by high porosity and elasticity. People claim that this clay is quite malleable to processing, which is why it can be given a variety of forms, kneading as you like.
Vessels after firing, according to consumers, are able to absorb, but they do not allow moisture to pass through, which allows the tea leaf to receive air through the clay walls and infuse well. According to buyers of such utensils, the internal trace elements of the tea leaf interact with clay, this helps neutralize lead and destroy harmful compounds.
Technology features
The Chinese teapot from Yixing clay is made using a rather sophisticated technology. At the first stage, raw materials are extracted from the depths of the earth, which are divided into small elements, and then subjected to thorough drying, this stage takes several weeks and even years. The deadline will be determined on the spot, and it will depend on the chemical composition of the material and specific tasks. Today this stage is reduced, which is ensured by the use of vacuum drying.
If the following words can be applied to a product in front of you: a teapot, Ishina clay, handmade, then you can be sure that the product was made according to a special algorithm. In the next step, the clay is crushed until it turns into something like powder. It is sifted, washed well, the paste is filtered off, which is selected to compact and displace excess water.
The semi-finished product must be left in a closed container until the final molding begins. The described technology has a number of features, they involve the use of a huge set of special tools. The master should beat the clay again before starting work until it reaches the desired thickness equal to the wall thickness of the future product.
Methodology
When a Turk is made of Yixing clay, the craftsmen use the same technology. The next step will be the formation of a round bottom, as well as strips that will connect the elements together. As soon as the ends are mated, the master begins to mold the body, closing the seams.
In the place where the spout will be located, a drain hole is prepared in advance. Once everything is ready, you can install the handle and spout. The external and internal walls of the product are smoothed, they must be leveled and brought to perfection.
Now you have to make a cover with a holder. The creator’s seal is put at the bottom, if a well-known master worked, then he leaves the mark on the outside, while in all other cases the mark will be located inside. Walls can be decorated with applique or carving.
Heat treatment
You may also be interested in the dishes described in the article. Yixing clay goes to its manufacture. When everything is ready, the kettle can be sent for firing. In order to prevent sintering, sprinkle the neck and lid with powder. The lid is a delicate moment in the making.
Shrinkage of clay is unique and will depend on a number of factors, so the best fit after firing indicates the level of experience of the master. After firing, the product can be additionally inlaid with metals like gold threads, gold and silver, this is true if the famous master participated in the work.
Advanced Technology
In order to make a tea set from Yixing clay, you need to prepare a layout drawing, clay, make the product itself, and then burn it and encrust it. According to the masters, the work is quite painstaking, one might say, jewelry. It will take time to several weeks. However, there is a simpler method that is used for the manufacture of stamped dummies.
The technology is that the gypsum mold is manually filled with clay, as a result the kettle will consist of two halves that are joined together and the seams are ground. After that, the handle and nose are attached. The kettle described in the article has recently become quite popular among consumers. Yixing clay in its composition used to be burned on ancient stoves. Today, modern equipment is used, which is more efficient. After all, in it you can control the temperature level. But famous masters to this day burn their creations in ancient furnaces, following the traditions of their ancestors.
History of creation
The creator of the Yixing teapot is considered to be the master Gong Chun, who lived in 1488-1566. To this day, he is called the great sculptor of the "first forms", which today represent the classics. Four other great men stood at the origins of tradition with him. In the next generation, Li Zhong Fan, Shi Da-bin, and Xu Yu-chuan became famous, who continued and preserved the tradition. Their work was at the end of the Minsk era.
To this day, some surviving items are kept in museums in Europe and China. These masters laid down an approach in which form, energy, idea and execution are combined. From the very beginning of their existence, teapots from Yixing clay went to the capital Ninkin, which was considered the center of the cultural elite. It was there that the bar was set for the creators.
A little more history: about the size and appearance
A set of Yixing clay, or rather dummies, since ancient times could be classified in two directions, namely floral and geometric. Masters drew inspiration from nature, using elements of plants and transforming them into forms.
The geometric variety of such dishes was more spherical and cubic, the products were made in a strict manner, they had harmonious proportions, clear lines and expressive features. If we compare the sizes of the first teapots with the now unknown, then they had an impressive height - up to 30 cm. The raw materials were green, purple and yellow clay.
Conclusion
To date, the mines, where clay mining used to be, have been closed to public access. To start production, it is necessary to obtain a special license at the administrative level. Private warehouses store a huge amount of raw materials that were mined earlier, and its value increases every year.
Hard clays, which are most valuable and contain a huge amount of quartz mica, occur in thin layers. Their thickness can range from 10 cm to 1 m. You can find them at different depths. Layers of violet, yellowish and gray-green hues are called dragon veins. They have different qualities, which are influenced by many factors.