A handmade Yixing teapot in the full-bodied Jingzhou Shipiao form, shaped from Zini clay in a generous 240 ml capacity for Gongfu tea and shared sessions.

A Fuller Expression of Shipiao

Low, grounded and unmistakably composed.

The Jingzhou Shipiao Yixing Teapot takes the familiar architecture of the Shipiao form and gives it a fuller, more substantial presence.

Described in Chinese as Manpiao — 满瓢, this interpretation emphasizes a more generous body while preserving the strong visual relationships that define Shipiao: the grounded stance, restrained lid, direct spout and balanced handle.

Handmade from Zini (紫泥) clay, this version holds approximately 240 ml / 8.1 fl oz.

Larger than many xiaopin Yixing teapots, it is particularly suited to those who enjoy the character of traditional Zisha but prefer a more generous pour.

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At a Glance

• Handmade Yixing Zisha teapot
• Jingzhou Shipiao / 景舟石瓢 form
• Full-bodied Manpiao / 满瓢 interpretation
• Zini / 紫泥 clay
• Approx. 240 ml / 8.1 fl oz capacity
• Suitable for Gongfu tea and shared tea sessions
• Larger capacity than many traditional small Yixing pots
• Classical form with a grounded, architectural silhouette

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The Jingzhou Shipiao Form

Shipiao is one of the most recognizable forms within the vocabulary of Yixing pottery.

Its beauty comes from structure rather than ornament.

A low body establishes the centre of gravity.

The walls rise toward a restrained opening.

The spout extends outward with purpose.

The handle provides visual counterweight.

Everything appears simple.

That simplicity is deceptive.

When a teapot relies so heavily on proportion, even a small change to the height, fullness of the body or angle of the spout can transform its entire personality.

This Jingzhou Shipiao interpretation brings a fuller quality to that familiar architecture.

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Manpiao · 满瓢

This version is described as Manpiao — 满瓢, literally suggesting a fuller expression of the Shipiao form.

Compared with a particularly lean or sharply tapering Shipiao, the body carries greater visual volume.

The pot still sits low.

The horizontal relationship between spout and handle remains important.

But the centre feels more substantial.

That fullness becomes especially appropriate at 240 ml, where the teapot has considerably more physical presence than a petite 100–150 ml Yixing pot.

It is still recognizably Shipiao.

Simply expressed with more volume.

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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.

Rather than reducing the material simply to “purple clay,” we retain the name Zini.

The understated character of the clay is particularly suited to Shipiao.

There is no need for colour or elaborate surface decoration to create presence.

The material supports the form rather than competing with it.

Clay.

Proportion.

Function.

Enough.

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240 ml: A More Generous Yixing Teapot

Capacity: approximately 240 ml / 8.1 fl oz

This is noticeably larger than many of the smaller Yixing teapots used for intimate Gongfu sessions.

That difference matters.

For Two

240 ml offers a generous volume for two tea drinkers.

For Sharing

With smaller cups, it becomes a practical choice for a more social Gongfu tea session.

For Larger Personal Brews

Tea drinkers who find 100–150 ml pots too restrictive may prefer the additional capacity.

For Larger Leaves

The more generous internal volume can also provide additional physical room for leaves to expand, depending on the tea and brewing method.

The character remains distinctly Yixing.

The rhythm simply becomes more generous.

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Small Pot or 240 ml?

The choice depends on how you drink tea.

A 100–120 ml pot creates frequent, intimate infusions and is particularly natural for one person.

A 150–160 ml pot offers a middle ground.

At 240 ml, the experience changes again.

There is more tea in every round.

More to divide between cups.

And more flexibility when tea becomes something shared rather than solitary.

For someone who regularly drinks Gongfu tea with another person—or simply prefers a more generous vessel—240 ml can make considerably more sense than choosing a very small pot simply because it is traditional.

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A Teapot of Proportion

Remove the clay colour.

Remove the name.

Remove the history.

What remains is geometry.

The body.

The lid.

The spout.

The handle.

The stance.

This is where Shipiao earns its reputation.

There is very little decoration available to distract from an awkward line.

A successful Shipiao must feel balanced before anything else is considered.

Viewed directly from the side, the relationship becomes particularly clear.

That is how we recommend looking at this piece first.

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Made for Shared Tea

Warm the pot.

Add the leaves.

Pour the water.

Decant the complete infusion.

Then divide it between the cups.

At 240 ml, there is enough tea for the ritual to become naturally more social.

One cup.

Then another.

Perhaps another.

The pot returns to the centre of the table.

Tea becomes less about one person concentrating on a small vessel and more about the quiet exchange that happens around it.

Different scale.

Same ritual.

Art of Quiet Living.

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Details

Product: Yixing Zisha Teapot
Form: Jingzhou Shipiao / 景舟石瓢
Style: Manpiao / 满瓢
Clay: Zini / 紫泥
Origin: Yixing, China
Craft: Handmade

Capacity

Approx. 240 ml / 8.1 fl oz

Recommended For

Gongfu tea
Tea for two
Shared tea sessions
Repeated infusions
Larger-volume Yixing brewing

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

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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 completely 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.

Regular use allows the pot to become something more interesting than a display object: a familiar part of the tea table.

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A Note on Handmade Character

This teapot is described as handmade.

Subtle variations in clay tone, surface and hand-finished details may naturally occur.

When evaluating a Shipiao teapot, we particularly recommend examining:

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

For a form this restrained, proportion and finishing communicate more than elaborate decoration ever could.

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A Note on the Name “Jingzhou”

The name Jingzhou Shipiao — 景舟石瓢 refers here to the teapot's stated form and stylistic tradition.

It should not be interpreted as an attribution to the celebrated Yixing master Gu Jingzhou (顾景舟).

This is a contemporary handmade Yixing teapot unless otherwise accompanied by specific and verifiable maker provenance.

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Curator's Note

If our smaller Shipiao pieces are about intimacy, this one is about presence.

At 240 ml, the body has room to express the fuller Manpiao proportions more clearly.

We would choose it for a tea table where two or more cups regularly appear—or for someone who loves the disciplined architecture of Shipiao but simply prefers a more generous brew.

The scale changes.

The essential character does not.