A handmade Yixing teapot in the elegant Gaopan form, shaped from Jiangponi clay with a softly rounded, pear-like silhouette for intimate Gongfu tea.

A Study in Gentle Proportion

There is a quiet elegance to a teapot that needs very little decoration.

The Gaopan Yixing Teapot is shaped around a softly rounded, pear-like body—a form that feels full through the centre before drawing gently inward.

Handmade from Jiangponi (降坡泥) clay, this petite teapot holds approximately 135 ml / 4.6 fl oz.

It is an intimate but versatile size for Gongfu tea: generous enough to share between two small cups, yet compact enough to retain the repeated rhythm of a solo session.

Soft in silhouette.

Grounded in clay.

Made for tea.

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At a Glance

• Handmade Yixing Zisha teapot
• Gaopan / 高潘 form
• Jiangponi / 降坡泥 clay
• Approx. 135 ml / 4.6 fl oz
• Compact xiaopin teapot format
• Soft, pear-like silhouette
• Designed for Gongfu tea
• Suitable for solo tea or intimate shared sessions

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The Gaopan Form · 高潘

The character of Gaopan — 高潘 lies in proportion.

Rather than relying on angular geometry, the form is built around a fuller central body and gently controlled curves.

The supplied description also refers to the piece as Xiaoli — 小梨, or “small pear,” an appropriate visual reference for its compact, softly tapering silhouette.

Look at the pot from the side.

The body establishes the volume.

The lid sits quietly above.

Spout and handle extend outward to create balance.

Nothing is excessively ornamental.

The form itself provides the expression.

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A Pear-Like Silhouette

The reference to a pear is useful because it immediately communicates something about the physical character of the pot.

There is fullness.

Then taper.

Weight below.

Lightness above.

This gives Gaopan a different personality from the stronger architecture of Shipiao or the grounded solidity of Qin Quan.

The differences between classical Yixing forms can sometimes be subtle.

That subtlety is part of their appeal.

One curve changes and the entire personality of the vessel changes with it.

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Jiangponi · 降坡泥

This teapot is described as being made from Jiangponi (降坡泥), a clay term within the Yixing Zisha tradition.

Rather than reducing the material to a generic colour description such as “brown clay,” we retain its traditional name.

For Yixing pottery, the stated clay type forms part of the identity of a teapot alongside its form, construction and capacity.

Here, the earthy visual character of Jiangponi feels particularly natural against the softer Gaopan silhouette.

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135 ml: A Beautiful Middle Ground

Capacity: approximately 135 ml / 4.6 fl oz

For Gongfu tea, 135 ml occupies a particularly useful middle ground.

It is noticeably more generous than a tiny 80–100 ml solo pot, but still compact enough to encourage repeated infusions.

For One

A comfortable capacity for a generous solo Gongfu session.

For Two

Pair it with two smaller cups for intimate shared tea.

For Repeated Infusions

The volume remains restrained enough to follow a tea through multiple rounds without preparing excessive amounts in each infusion.

If 100 ml feels too small and 200 ml feels more than you usually need, 135 ml can be an especially versatile choice.

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Form Without Excess

One of the pleasures of an unadorned Yixing teapot is that the eye begins to notice smaller decisions.

Where does the body reach its fullest point?

How quickly does it taper?

How does the handle answer the spout?

Does the lid feel integrated or simply placed above?

In a restrained form, these relationships become the decoration.

Gaopan rewards precisely this kind of looking.

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Made for Gongfu Tea

Warm the pot.

Add the leaves.

Pour.

Decant completely.

Taste.

Then return.

At 135 ml, the session can unfold slowly through repeated infusions.

The leaves open.

The liquor changes.

Aroma develops and recedes.

The teapot remains at the centre of the process without demanding attention for itself.

That is perhaps the most useful kind of beauty.

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Details

Product: Yixing Zisha Teapot
Form: Gaopan / 高潘
Clay: Jiangponi / 降坡泥
Origin: Yixing, China
Craft: Handmade

Capacity

Approx. 135 ml / 4.6 fl oz

Recommended For

Gongfu tea
Solo tea sessions
Tea for two
Repeated infusions
Small-volume brewing
Yixing teapot collecting

As this is a handmade teapot, subtle variations in clay tone, surface and finishing may naturally occur.

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Living With Yixing Clay

Before first use, rinse the teapot carefully with clean water.

After each tea session, remove the leaves and rinse the interior.

Allow the teapot to dry thoroughly with the lid removed before storing.

Avoid strongly scented detergents unless specifically recommended by the maker.

Protect the pot from impacts and sudden temperature changes.

With repeated use, the teapot gradually becomes less an object on the tea table and more a familiar part of the ritual.

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A Note on Handmade Character

This piece is described as handmade.

We recommend examining close-up photographs of the:

Clay Surface · Body · Lid · Spout · Handle · Base

Small variations between individual pieces may naturally occur.

For a teapot whose beauty depends so strongly on proportion, clear profile photography is particularly valuable.

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Made for Quiet Tea

The appeal of Gaopan is not immediate spectacle.

It is the satisfaction of a curve that feels right.

A small pot resting naturally in the hand.

Tea poured from it again and again.

Eventually, the vessel becomes familiar enough that you stop thinking about the object altogether.

Only the tea remains.

Art of Quiet Living.

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Curator's Note

At 135 ml, this is one of the most versatile capacities in our smaller Yixing selection.

It retains the intimacy of a xiaopin pot without becoming exceptionally small.

What distinguishes it, however, is the silhouette.

Where Shipiao speaks through structure and Qin Quan through visual weight, Gaopan is softer—a fuller body gradually controlled by taper and curve.

For someone drawn to quieter, more organic Yixing forms, this would be a natural choice.