Frosted Gradient Horizontal Kettle yixing clay woodfired teapot # 94807

The Chinese name 磨砂渐变水平壶 literally reads as “matte (sandblasted) gradient horizontal teapot.” The exact historic category “水平壶” is somewhat ambiguous in published typologies, but it generally suggests a low, horizontally oriented teapot whose body is wider than it is tall, with spout and handle aligned on opposing sides for a lateral profile.

Safe historical context: low, wide teapot silhouettes have long been part of Chinese teaware traditions, especially within the Yixing (Zisha) school from the late Ming and Qing periods onward, where potters explored many compact, ergonomic forms for brewing single servings or small gongfu sessions. Over centuries these practical shapes were adapted by regional workshops and later by modern studio potters, who have continued to reinterpret classical silhouettes.

About the finish and shape: “磨砂渐变” indicates a contemporary surface treatment — a matte, sandblasted or unglazed texture combined with a gradual color transition (gradient) across the body. This contemporary aesthetic emphasizes tactile feel and visual depth while retaining the functional virtues of a horizontal teapot: stable base, balanced pour, and a low center of gravity that promotes gentle infusion. The piece blends traditional form logic with modern finishing techniques for a restrained, modern-teaware look.
Wood-fired handmade Yixing teapot made from Duanni clay sourced from the original Huanglongshan mine. Xu Shun Wei.