A handmade Yixing teapot in the classical Shuiping form, shaped from Zini clay in a balanced 130 ml size for Gongfu tea.

Made for the Rhythm of Gongfu Tea

Some teapot forms are remembered for ornament.

Shuiping is remembered for balance.

The Shuiping Yixing Teapot is one of the enduring forms associated with Chinese Gongfu tea—a compact vessel whose rounded body, direct spout and balanced handle create a silhouette that feels immediately at home on the tea table.

This version is handmade from Zini (紫泥) clay and holds approximately 130 ml / 4.4 fl oz.

Small enough for repeated infusions.

Generous enough for an intimate shared session.

A practical teapot shaped with remarkable restraint.

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At a Glance

• Handmade Yixing Zisha teapot
• Traditional Shuiping / 水平 form
• Zini / 紫泥 clay
• Approx. 130 ml / 4.4 fl oz
• Approx. 13 × 8 × 6.5 cm / 5.1 × 3.1 × 2.6 in
• Compact Gongfu tea capacity
• Balanced classical silhouette
• Suitable for solo tea and intimate shared sessions
• Designed for repeated infusions

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The Shuiping Form · 水平

Shuiping — 水平 is one of the most recognizable names within traditional Chinese teapot forms.

The name literally carries the idea of level or horizontal balance.

Visually, that sense of balance is central to the pot.

A rounded body establishes the volume.

The spout reaches outward from one side.

The handle answers from the other.

The lid remains restrained above.

Viewed in profile, the individual elements feel connected by an almost horizontal visual rhythm.

It is a remarkably simple composition.

And that simplicity is precisely why proportion matters.

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A Teapot Closely Associated With Gongfu Tea

Shuiping has a particularly natural relationship with the compact brewing style of Gongfu tea.

Small brewing vessels encourage tea to be prepared in repeated rounds rather than as one large infusion.

Pour.

Decant.

Taste.

Return to the leaves.

The compact proportions of Shuiping suit this rhythm beautifully.

There is little unnecessary ceremony built into the object itself.

It is designed to be handled.

Filled.

Poured.

And used again.

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Zini · 紫泥

This teapot is described as being made from Zini (紫泥), one of the traditional clay terms within the Yixing Zisha vocabulary.

We retain the term Zini rather than reducing it simply to “purple clay.”

The actual fired colour should always be represented faithfully in the product photography rather than artificially shifted toward purple because of the literal translation of 紫泥.

For this Shuiping, the understated character of Zini complements the restrained form particularly well.

The clay does not overpower the silhouette.

It allows the pot to remain what it should be:

quiet, balanced and functional.

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130 ml: A Beautiful Everyday Size

Capacity: approximately 130 ml / 4.4 fl oz

130 ml sits in an especially versatile range for Gongfu tea.

It remains compact enough for repeated infusions while offering slightly more flexibility than the smallest 90–110 ml pots.

For One

A comfortable size for a generous solo Gongfu session.

For Two

Pair it with two smaller Gongfu cups for intimate shared tea.

For Repeated Infusions

The restrained capacity encourages you to return to the leaves rather than preparing a large volume at once.

For someone looking for a Yixing teapot that feels small without becoming exceptionally petite, 130 ml is a beautifully practical middle ground.

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Balance in the Hand

The supplied dimensions are approximately:

13 × 8 × 6.5 cm
5.1 × 3.1 × 2.6 in

Part of the pleasure of Shuiping lies in how its horizontal composition translates from the tea table into the hand.

The pot is not especially tall.

Instead, the visual relationship travels from spout through body to handle.

Pick it up and that balance becomes functional.

The handle controls the vessel.

The spout directs the pour.

The body contains just enough tea for another small round.

Form and use begin to feel inseparable.

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Shuiping Among the Classical Yixing Forms

Place several Yixing forms together and their different personalities become easier to understand.

Xishi — soft and rounded.

Longdan — compact and egg-like.

Shipiao — low and architectural.

Qin Quan — grounded and substantial.

Duozhi — full and composed.

Shuiping — balanced and functional.

None is inherently superior.

Each represents a different way of solving the same fundamental problem:

how to make a vessel for tea.

That diversity is part of what makes Yixing pottery so rewarding to explore.

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Made for Everyday Tea

A beautiful teapot does not need to wait for an occasion.

Warm it.

Add the leaves.

Pour the water.

Decant completely.

Drink.

Then begin again.

The more familiar the vessel becomes, the less attention it demands.

Eventually, your hand simply knows where the handle is.

How far to tilt.

When the final drop has left the spout.

This is perhaps the most meaningful kind of luxury:

an object made beautiful through use.

Art of Quiet Living.

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Details

Product: Yixing Zisha Teapot
Form: Shuiping / 水平
Clay: Zini / 紫泥
Origin: Yixing, China
Craft: Handmade

Capacity

Approx. 130 ml / 4.4 fl oz

Dimensions

Approx. 13 × 8 × 6.5 cm
Approx. 5.1 × 3.1 × 2.6 in

Recommended For

Gongfu tea
Solo tea sessions
Tea for two
Repeated infusions
Everyday tea brewing
Yixing teapot collecting
Tea gifting

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 teapot from impacts and sudden temperature changes.

A Shuiping is particularly suited to becoming an everyday pot—used often rather than reserved only for display.

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A Note on Handmade Character

This piece is described as handmade, rather than specifically fully handmade.

We recommend examining photographs of the actual teapot closely, particularly:

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

For a restrained form such as Shuiping, these details communicate more than exaggerated claims about craftsmanship.

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Designed to Be Gifted

For someone beginning to explore Gongfu tea, Shuiping is a particularly meaningful introduction to the world of Yixing.

The form is traditional without feeling ornamental.

The capacity is approachable.

And its purpose becomes clear through use.

A teapot may arrive as a gift.

But its real story begins with the first infusion.

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Curator's Note

Among the Yixing forms in our collection, Shuiping may be one of the easiest to imagine using every day.

It does not depend on unusual proportions or decorative complexity for its appeal.

Its beauty is quieter:

balance,

utility,

and the satisfying relationship between spout, body and handle.

At 130 ml, this version feels particularly well judged for intimate Gongfu tea.