Handmade Yixing Raw Ore Purple Clay Gaiwan 150ml

This gaiwan is ideal for brewing all types of tea, including pu erh, rock tea and aged white tea. With consistent long term use for tea brewing, it will gradually develop a warm, lustrous patina over time.

We offer this gaiwan in two classic clay options: Zi Ni (Purple Clay) and Zhu Ni (Red Clay). The Purple Clay variant has a calm, substantial and richly textured finish, while the Red Clay version boasts a warm, bright and smooth luster. You can also purchase both the Purple Clay and Red Clay gaiwans as a set to experience the unique brewing characteristics of each distinct clay type.

Yixing Zisha Clay

Yixing Zisha Clay is a classic natural mineral material for crafting Chinese gongfu tea ware. Sourced exclusively from Yixing China, its core mineral components include kaolinite, quartz and mica. It requires years of natural aging and multiple rounds of hand washing and refining to process, making it an extremely precious raw material for premium tea ware.

The Purple Clay and Red Clay used in our tea ware are both classic premium grades within the Zisha clay family, each with its own distinct characteristics.

Zi Ni (Purple Clay)

Purple Clay is the most iconic and widely used core variety of Yixing Zisha Clay. Its raw ore has a natural purple brown hue, and after high temperature firing, it develops a calm, understated deep brown purple tone with a matte finish that is subtle and timeless.

Purple Clay has a mild, stable nature with a high tolerance for error during hand shaping. This ensures a consistently neat, well proportioned final form, with a tight, precise fit between the gaiwan’s lid and rim for smooth, clean pouring with no water retention. It is exceptionally durable and hard wearing for daily use. Its evenly distributed dual pore structure strikes a perfect balance between breathability and aroma retention. When brewing, it fully preserves the original flavor of the tea leaves while gently softening any astringency in the liquor, creating a smoother mouthfeel. It is compatible with nearly all types of tea and forgiving of different brewing techniques. With long term use, it develops a warm, understated patina that grows richer and more refined over time.

Zhu Ni (Red Clay)

Zhu Ni (Red Clay) is a highly recognizable, premium variety of Yixing Zisha Clay, belonging to the high end grade of the red clay category. Its raw ore is rich in natural iron oxide, and after high temperature firing, it takes on a warm, bright vermilion or orange red tone.

Red Clay has a fine, delicate, and precious texture, with a higher firing shrinkage rate that creates a greater technical threshold for both hand shaping and high temperature firing. Every intact finished piece undergoes stricter quality control throughout the crafting process. Its body has a high degree of vitrification, with a dense, compact dual pore structure that gives it particularly exceptional aroma locking and retention capabilities. During brewing, it firmly locks in the bright, elevated aromas of the tea leaves, creating a fuller, longer lasting fragrance in the liquor, so you can taste the rich, inherent flavor of the tea with every sip. It is especially well suited for highly aromatic tea varieties, as it maximizes the aromatic potential of the tea. With long term use, it develops a rich, lustrous, and translucent red patina, with a look and feel that only grows more exceptional with use.