Jiangpo clay, also known as "Jiangpo Ni" or "Jiangpo mud," was accidentally discovered in the early 1990s during the construction of the "Taodu Road" by the Yixing government.
The road passes through the slope connecting Huanglongshan and Qinglongshan, and in order to make the road slope smoother, the excavation work unearthed a portion of the purple clay ore. Jiangpo in Chinese means downhill. It was later named "Jiangpo clay."
The discovery of Jiangpo clay was purely accidental, and its reserves are particularly rare. It was merely encountered during the road construction and exists in a small area with limited mineral sources.
[ Firing Temperature ]: Approximately 1180 degrees Celsius.
[ Shrinkage Ratio ]: Approximately 12%.
[ Origin ]: E'long Bridge mining section in Huanglongshan mining area, Yixing, Jiangsu. It is located at the junction of "Qinglongshan" and "Huanglongshan."
[ Clay Characteristics ]: The original ore contains various coexisting minerals such as duanni clay, hongni clay, and zini clay. After firing, it exhibits a rich variety of coarse and fine, deep and shallow red and yellow speckles on a deep "orange-red" base.
[ Challenges ]: Susceptible to iron oxidation, sand jumping, and bloating during firing.
[ Features ]: The clay has a strong earthy aroma and resembles the simplicity of rural farmers. With prolonged use, it gradually reveals its sharpness and develops significant changes, exhibiting a warm and dignified character.
It not only exhibits evident "patination" (a patina-like appearance), but also captures the essence and texture of ancient masterpieces, making it highly sought after by collectors who appreciate the charm of vintage teapots. It is particularly suitable for brewing lightly roasted oolong tea (such as Tie Guan Yin) and various series of Pu-erh tea.
