Why Zisha Teapots Are So Expensive | So Expensive

[Music] seashell teapots are made by artisans like boken tang she had to study for 25 years to be considered a senior teapot maker which lets her sell a teapot like this for 20 to 30 thousand dollars [Music] but before tang ever touches the clay the process starts with a unique raw material that's disappearing so what does it take to make a zissa teapot and why are they so expensive seisha teapots were one of the first teapots ever made dating back to 10th century china they're named after the rare clay that is made from 350 million year old ziza ore the ore can only be found in ding shuzen primarily in huanglong mountain it's near the city of yeexing which is known as china's ceramics capital z teapot experts have been using the same process for over 600 years the ore is powdered then folded and worked in a way to create small pockets that promote airflow in two directions throughout the pot this is known as dual porosity and seisha teapot makers and customers say this oxygen flow can intensify the flavor of tea just like with a finely aerated wine it's one of a few of zisa's special properties believed to enhance the taste of the tea scientific analysis shows that the mineral composition of zesha allows the temperatures to fluctuate less when these pots are put to heat fewer fluctuations means the flavor of the tea is more likely to be preserved [Music] making zisha teapots is a painstaking process each step is done by hand artists first smash the prepared zesha clay into very thin layers with a wooden mallet it can take a year to learn how to do this correctly for a round teapot the largest slice is formed into a tube on a revolving round plate locan will then pat the body using a thin wooden tool beading the clay into the desired shape for more intricate teapots make her scratch patterns onto the hardened clay and attach extra decor all of which can increase the final value zicha teapots are typically small and hold just a cup of water so they don't require much clay but getting that little bit of clay isn't simple or affordable the limited supply of zisha ore boosts the cost of the raw material to protect the resource china's government has banned mining in huanglong union uh china uses clay her family has reserved since the 90s that's also the decade she officially began making these teapots to achieve her senior title bokeh needed 25 years of experience at least five gold awards for her creations and to pass a rigorous test is the next level for boken to achieve which is also the highest is the title of master craftsman this requires at least 30 years of experience why because customers aren't paying for just the finite raw material but also for a high level of artistry channels for tea enthusiasts buying a senior or master zia teapot is like buying functional art functional in that it's made for a great tea drinking experience and like art because drinkers appreciate the delicate work and skill required to make it [Music] so yes [Music] is [Music] a telltale sign of just how well a teapot is crafted is how liquid pours from the neck the tea should pour out splatter free from a well-made disha teapot in the end it's the importance tea making and tea drinking have in china that makes such expensive teapots worth what customers pay [Music] you

Channel: Business Insider

Views: 2,350,815

Keywords: Business Insider, Business News, Zisha, Teapots, So Expensive

Id: 7EePjNxfkOg

Length: 6min 32sec (392 seconds)

Published: Sat Dec 18 2021