Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Yixing modern zhuni Long Dan teapot

 The Long Dan (Dragon Egg) shape dates back to the Qing dynasty.
This new teapot achieves a good rendering of this style. I particularly like the knob. As I wrote before, it isn't just in harmony with the rest of the teapot (this one is also shaped like an egg), but it's very convenient to use.  The spout and handle are discreet, which emphasizes the round shape of the body. This shape is a good fit for rolled high mountain Oolongs.
Volume: 18 cl (180 ml)
Weight: 143 grams
Inside, a golf ball shaped filter prevents the leaves of my summer Shan Lin Shi Oolong from obstructing the spout. This High Mountain Oolong tastes more fruity due to its summer harvest. Long brews tend to emphasize this character and add a note of bitterness. Gentle pouring of boiling water and shorter brews can make the tea much lighter and sweeter. With such a tea, gongfu cha skills matter a lot.  
 The lid doesn't close the teapot perfectly. When pressing on the hole on the knob, tea continues to come out of the teapot. I don't see this as a problem for using it, though. The sound of the teapot is high, which indicates a high temperature during firing. Delicate fragrances are not absorbed by the teapot, but they end up in your cup! 

1 comment:

merlin said...

C'est une bien jolie théière que voilà !

J'aurai une question à te poser : quelle quantité de thé mets-tu dans ta théière ? Je te demande ça car j'ai l'impression que j'en mets beaucoup moins (à la vue).

Merci encore pour tout tes magnifiques articles !

Au revoir (peut-être dimanche !)
Merlin