Yixing Da Hong Pao Xishi Set 大红袍西施 (250 ml)

Yixing Da Hong Pao jug with 2 cups, semi-handmade

Teapot volume: approx. 250 ml

Material: Da Hong Pao from Yixing

Volume of the 2 tea cups: approx. 60 ml

Half of our Da Hong Pao Xishi set is made by Yixing craftsman Jiang Fa Lin 姜发林 with the original clay from the Huang Long mountain.

What is Da Hong Pao Ton?

Da Hong Pao literally means Big Red Robe (it is also the name of a Wuyi Yancha), as both the ore found in Huang Long Mountain in Yixing and the clay glow red after burning. The raw ore from Da Hong Pao appears like jade in a dark red color, which is very rare as even the raw ore from large red Zhuni teapots is yellow and only turns red after burning. (see the photo of the raw ore above).

Not only does the ore look like jade, but its texture is much harder than other ores that are used to make Yixing teapots. The raw ore from Da Hong Pao is relatively rare and is considered to be the highest quality of red clay.

The firing temperature for Da Hong Pao teapots is between 1120 and 1150 degrees Celsuis with a shrinking percentage of around 5.5%. The shrinkage is much less than that of a Zhuni clay. For this reason, a zhuni clay teapot usually has wrinkles, but Da Hong Pao teapots look much smoother on the surface. After firing, the clay turns darker red with a really fine and somewhat oily surface.

The finished teapots are less porous than other Yixing teapots such as Zini, Duanni (Tuanni), and Jiangponi. Like a Zhuni teapot, a Da Hong Pao does not absorb the aroma and taste of tea as much as Zini, Duanni, etc. It retains the high aroma and is better suited to highly aromatic oolong tea such as Dancong Oolong.