Teapot

In traditional Chinese tea culture, the teapot is an essential component in gong fu cha, a method of tea brewing where tea leaves are infused multiple times in a small teapot. With a few exceptions, the teapots in our collection are smaller and meant to be used in this traditional manner.

We’ve curated our teapot collection, selecting specific materials and shapes, to pair with specific types of teas.

Thinner materials such as glass and porcelain are perfect for lighter teas. Thicker and heavier materials such as stoneware and yixing clay, are more ideal for richer, darker teas.

The appearance of the Chinese teapot in the early days of the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-1644) reflected a fundamental shift in the way tea was processed and brewed - from a tea powder to loose leaves.

The teapot made sense for this newer style of tea brewing: a closed lid allowed the pot to better retain heat, a narrow spout kept leaves from getting into the cup, and a handle kept fingers from burning.

Spearheading this shift were unglazed Yixing tea pots crafted of zisha (purple clay). The form of Yixing teapots eventually inspired teapots made from other materials: blue and white porcelain ware from Jingdezhen to modern day stoneware and glass tea pots.