Yixing clay teapots (also called Purple Sand are made from Yixing clay. This traditional style commonly used to brew tea originated in China, dating back to the 15th century, and are made from clay produced in the region of the town of Yixing in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. According to literature the first YiXing teapot was created during the Song Dynasty (10th century) that a monk from Jinsha Temple (Golden Sand Temple) in YiXing handcrafted a teapot from local clay, but it did not flourish until Ming Dynasty (15th century). Since the mid to late 1800s, Yíxīng teapots are not actually made in the regional city of Yíxīng, but rather in nearby Dīngshān, also known as Dingshu, which falls within the administrative area of Yixing.