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Arguably, the best method for brewing oolong teas is in Yixing or gong fu tea pots.
These small teapots are made from purple-sand from the Yixing area of
China, and were first invented at the beginning of the sixteenth
century. The clay has a very high iron content that makes it ideal for
retaining heat, and producing an extremely concentrated brew of tea. It
also has purifying qualities which sweeten the taste of the water.
Colors vary from light yellow, brick reds, and loamy blacks and browns.
These teapots are often small in size, because in China and Taiwan each
steeping of the tea brings new nuances to the flavor and aroma. With a
small pot it is easier to taste through the life of a tea leaf.
Connoisseurs and tea lovers around the world collect these unique, hand
crafted one of a kind teapots and 'raise' them, age them slowly over
time and usage so that they acquire a beautiful tea patina.
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