“The Pumpkin ” Handcraft Chinese Yixing Clay Teapot

“The Pumpkin ” Handcraft Chinese Yixing Clay TeapotThe Pumpkin is a 180ml Yixing teapot made from Duan clay, shaped with the rounded, segmented form of a pumpkin. Duan clay (a blend of purple and base clays) fires to a warm sandy tone and is one of the more forgiving Yixing clay types it works across a range of teas without overly muting or brightening flavours. Product details Capacity: 180ml Clay type: Duan clay (Yixing) Craftsmanship: Hand shaped pumpkin form Origin: Yixing, Jiangsu Province, China

The Pumpkin is a 180ml Yixing teapot made from Duan clay, shaped with the rounded, segmented form of a pumpkin. Duan clay (a blend of purple and base clays) fires to a warm sandy tone and is one of the more forgiving Yixing clay types — it works across a range of teas without overly muting or brightening flavours.

Product details

• Capacity: 180ml
• Clay type: Duan clay (Yixing)
• Craftsmanship: Hand-shaped pumpkin form
• Origin: Yixing, Jiangsu Province, China

At 180ml, this sits between the concentrated 150ml gongfu size and the more generous 200ml. It's a comfortable size for solo brewing — three to four cups per infusion, with room to steep the same leaves six or seven times.

This works well for

• Gongfu brewing of roasted oolongs or puerh teas
• Solo tea sessions — enough for one person, multiple steeps
• Anyone who wants a versatile Yixing pot that handles different tea types

Joanne's tip

Duan clay is what I recommend to people buying their first Yixing teapot. It doesn't change the tea as dramatically as some other clay types, so if you're still figuring out which tea you'll dedicate it to, there's more room to experiment in the early stages. Once you settle on a tea, the pot will start building up flavour — that's when Yixing gets really interesting.

Seasoning your new Yixing teapot

Before first use, season the teapot to open the clay's pores:

1. Rinse with warm water — lid, spout, and body
2. Submerge in a pot of water (place a cloth underneath) and simmer for 30-60 minutes
3. Brew a strong batch of the tea you'll dedicate this pot to
4. Fill the teapot with the brewed tea and soak for at least 24 hours
5. Rinse with warm water and air dry

Never use soap on unglazed clay. Rinse with hot water after each session.

Shipping

Each Yixing teapot is individually wrapped in foam and boxed. Ships from Hobart, Tasmania. Free delivery on orders over $95 Australia-wide.