flat jade yixing clay woodfired teapot # 94823

The exact form called "扁玉壶" is not widely documented under that specific name, so the following is a careful, general interpretation based on the Chinese characters: 扁 (flattened), 玉 (jade), 壶 (teapot). The name suggests a low‑profile, flattened-bodied teapot whose aesthetic evokes the smoothness or color of jade.

Many classic Chinese teapot forms evolved within the Yixing (Zisha) and broader literati pottery traditions from the late Ming and Qing periods onward, where shapes were often given poetic, material, or descriptive names. Flattened or squat teapots have long been favored for their balanced proportions and intimate scale, and names invoking "jade" commonly signal a refined, polished appearance or a jade‑like glaze/finish favored by scholars and connoisseurs.

Shape note: a "扁玉壶" would typically feature a wide, shallow body with a low shoulder, a snug, slightly domed lid, a short spout and a gracefully curving handle—emphasizing a horizontal silhouette and tactile smoothness. Such a form is practical for brewing small quantities, presents an elegant, restrained profile, and highlights surface texture or glaze that might recall jade.
Wood-fired handmade Yixing teapot made from Duanni clay sourced from the original Huanglongshan mine. Xu Shun Wei.