A handmade Yixing teapot in the classical Gongdeng form, shaped from Zhaozhuang Zhuni clay in a versatile 160 ml size for Gongfu tea.

Inspired by the Palace Lantern

Balanced.

Upright.

Quietly architectural.

The Gongdeng Yixing Teapot takes its name from the traditional Chinese palace lantern—宫灯, Gongdeng—whose composed symmetry is echoed in the teapot's distinctive silhouette.

This piece is handmade from Zhaozhuang Zhuni (赵庄朱泥) clay and holds approximately 160 ml / 5.4 fl oz, giving it a little more generosity than the smallest Yixing pots while preserving the intimate rhythm of Gongfu tea.

A classical form shaped not by ornament, but by balance.

At a Glance

• Handmade Yixing Zisha teapot
• Traditional Gongdeng (宫灯) form
• Zhaozhuang Zhuni / 赵庄朱泥 clay
• 160 ml / 5.4 fl oz capacity
• 8 × 12 × 6 cm / 3.1 × 4.7 × 2.4 in
• Designed for Gongfu-style tea preparation
• A versatile size for solo or shared tea
• Classical, restrained silhouette

Why This Piece

The character of Gongdeng comes from symmetry.

Its name references the traditional Chinese palace lantern, an object whose beauty often depends on a carefully balanced relationship between upper and lower forms.

That sense of equilibrium carries naturally into the teapot.

The body feels composed rather than flowing.

The lid establishes the upper line.

Spout and handle extend outward to balance the form.

Nothing needs to be excessively decorated because the architecture of the pot already gives it presence.

In Zhaozhuang Zhuni, that restraint becomes particularly compelling.

The warm clay and classical silhouette are allowed to remain the focus.

The Gongdeng Form

Gongdeng — 宫灯 literally means Palace Lantern.

Within the vocabulary of Yixing teapot forms, the name refers to a silhouette inspired by the balanced geometry associated with traditional Chinese lantern forms.

Look at the pot directly from the side.

There is a sense of order.

The body establishes the centre.

The lid completes it above.

Spout and handle extend in opposite directions without disturbing the visual balance.

Where Wendan feels softly rounded and Shipiao feels low and grounded, Gongdeng feels more upright and composed.

That difference in personality is one of the pleasures of exploring classical Yixing forms.

Zhaozhuang Zhuni

This teapot is described as being made from Zhaozhuang Zhuni (赵庄朱泥).

Zhuni is a clay term within the broader Yixing Zisha tradition, known especially among tea drinkers and collectors for its association with compact teapot forms and its characteristic warm fired appearance.

We retain the name Zhaozhuang Zhuni rather than reducing the material simply to “red clay.”

For a Yixing teapot, clay is not merely a colour choice.

It is part of the identity of the vessel.

160 ml: A More Generous Gongfu Pot

Capacity: approximately 160 ml / 5.4 fl oz

Compared with a very small 80–100 ml Yixing teapot, 160 ml gives you noticeably more room in each infusion.

That makes this size particularly versatile.

For One

Use less water when desired, or enjoy a more generous solo infusion.

For Two

160 ml works naturally for sharing tea across two smaller Gongfu cups.

For a Small Tea Table

With sufficiently small cups, it can also work for intimate sessions involving several drinkers.

The pot remains compact.

The ritual simply becomes a little more generous.

Small Pot, Different Rhythm

Capacity changes the experience of Gongfu tea more than it may initially seem.

A 100 ml pot encourages very small, frequent infusions.

At 160 ml, there is more tea to distribute before returning to the kettle.

Neither approach is inherently better.

They simply create different rhythms.

For someone who enjoys the intimacy of a small Yixing pot but finds 100 ml slightly restrictive, this Gongdeng sits in a particularly useful middle ground.

A Teapot of Balance

Gongdeng rewards being viewed slowly.

Turn the teapot in the hand.

Look at the lid from above.

Then return to the profile.

Notice where the spout begins.

Where the handle meets the body.

How the upper and lower portions relate.

Classical Yixing forms often appear simple until one begins looking closely.

Then proportion becomes everything.

A line a little too high changes the balance.

A handle a little too heavy changes the silhouette.

The form succeeds through relationships rather than decoration.

Made for Gongfu Tea

Warm the teapot.

Add the leaves.

Pour the water.

Decant the infusion completely.

Taste.

Then return.

A small Yixing teapot turns tea into a sequence rather than a single serving.

One infusion introduces the leaves.

Another opens them.

Later rounds reveal what remains.

The vessel becomes part of that rhythm—not something merely displayed on the table, but something returned to again and again.

Details

Product: Yixing Zisha Teapot
Form: Gongdeng / 宫灯
Clay: Zhaozhuang Zhuni / 赵庄朱泥
Origin: Yixing, China
Craft: Handmade

Capacity

Approx. 160 ml / 5.4 fl oz

Dimensions

8 × 12 × 6 cm
3.1 × 4.7 × 2.4 in

Dimensions provided as length × width × height based on the supplied product specifications.

Recommended For

Gongfu tea
Solo tea sessions
Tea for two
Small shared tea sessions
Repeated infusions

As this is a handmade teapot, minor variations may occur between individual pieces.

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 pot to dry thoroughly with the lid removed before storing.

Avoid strongly scented detergents unless specifically recommended by the maker.

Protect the teapot from sudden temperature changes and impacts.

A Yixing teapot is an object intended to be handled and used—not simply admired from a distance.

A Note on Handmade Character

Handmade pottery naturally carries small variations.

Subtle differences in surface, clay tone and finishing may occur between individual pieces.

Rather than expecting the absolute uniformity of an industrial vessel, look closely at the relationships that define the pot:

Lid · Body · Spout · Handle · Base

For a classical form such as Gongdeng, these details are particularly important.

Designed to Be Gifted

A Yixing teapot makes a meaningful gift because its value does not end when the box is opened.

It enters someone's daily life.

Tea is brewed.

The pot is handled.

Favourite leaves are discovered.

Eventually, particular evenings and conversations become associated with it.

At 160 ml, this Gongdeng is especially approachable as a gift because it offers more flexibility than an exceptionally small solo pot while remaining distinctly suited to Gongfu tea.

A traditional form for rituals still being created.

Made for Quiet Tea

There are objects whose beauty is immediate.

Others reveal themselves through repetition.

A Gongdeng teapot belongs to the latter.

Its symmetry becomes clearer with handling.

The clay becomes familiar.

The capacity becomes part of the drinker's preferred rhythm.

Eventually, the pot simply belongs on the tea table.

Art of Quiet Living.

Curator's Note

Among the Yixing forms in this collection, Gongdeng has one of the most composed personalities.

Wendan is softer and fuller.

Ziye Shipiao sits lower and feels more architectural.

Dezhong is restrained and grounded.

Gongdeng introduces a stronger sense of upright symmetry.

At 160 ml, it is also one of the more versatile choices for someone who wants to move beyond a very small solo teapot.