JDTF Chuan Lu Teapot

Name: JDTF Si fang Chuan Lu Teapot

Year: early 2012

Volume: 163ml (to the brim. With tea, after the tea leaves expand, depending on the grams of tea used,  120-130ml +/-.)

Material:  Xiao Mei Yao Zhu Ni. High-fired.

Seal: Jing Dian Mu Gu

Lid Seal: Ren Chen (left),  Zhang ? Cha Shi (right)

Body: 松风竹雨梧月 ,茶烟琴韵书声

Handle Seal: Ren Chen (indicates year 2012)

Filter: 7 holes

Pouring time: 13s +/-

(JDTF Shuiping Teapot)

This is a pot from the Jing Dian Tao Fang studio (for brevity, I will later refer to it as JDTF).

In 1989, Li Wei Wen founded the company in Taiwan. They also have their Factory Head Office in Jiangsu, Yixing.

In the late 1990s, Yixing Factory 1 was restructured from a state-owned to a private entity. JDTF was formerly known as a joint branch of Yixing Factory 1 and inherited some of the original workers, clay and kilns of Factory One.

I must admit, this is one of my favourite brands. Mainly because they truly know how to fire their teapots properly. Their clay is also remarkably pure, which means the teapot will be absorbent, develop a beautiful patina over time, and enhance the flavour of the tea.

In the last three photos, you can see a comparison between two teapots: the one on the left has already developed a patina after about two weeks of use, while the one on the right is brand new—the one we’re offering. This shows the quality of the clay, meaning it seasons fast.

This teapot is semi-handmade and shows good craftsmanship, though it’s not entirely perfect. The lid fits tightly and seals well, but a slight drip may occur if you pour too quickly. Its versatile shape and wide mouth make it suitable for most types of tea leaves.

What teas pair with this clay?

I’ve tested it with Oolongs, red tea and various kinds of Sheng Puer, and both the shape and clay perform beautifully across different teas.

That said, I recommend experimenting with different teas to discover which ones pair best with the clay. In the end, it’s the tea that decides which teapot suits it best. So enjoy the process of finding the perfect match.

Opening the teapot (before first usage)
Since this teapot is brand new, it has some powder inside (this is quartz sand used during firing to prevent the lid from sticking to the body). There may also be traces of clay residue. Rinse the pot with boiling water 2 or 3 times, or until the water runs clean.

You can clearly see the powder, particularly inside the lid and at the bottom of the teapot, in the video.