Hey tea lovers! 🐉✨ Exciting news as we step into the Dragon Year of 2024 - with Yixing teapot purchase, we're gifting you an exclusive Dragon Year style tea mat to add that extra flair to your tea rituals. It's our way of celebrating with you, but remember, it's a limited-time offer! Don't miss out on making your tea sessions even more special with this mystical addition. 🍵💫
Hey tea lovers! While many of you know us as a premium Chinese tea wares company. We also specialized in teas in Huang Shan region. Huang Shan is home to the most famous Chinese teas – Huang Shan Mao Feng, Keemun and Tai Ping Hou Kui. As natives of this breathtaking place, we have a deep connection to the land and its rich tea heritage.
We understand that finding the perfect tea can be a personal journey, which is why we offer our sample pack. It allows you to explore the diverse flavors of Huang Shan teas and discover the one that resonates with your taste buds.
Each of the teas are sourced and produced directly from the tea farmers, ensuring the quality and the authentic taste.
Sample pack including:
Huang Shan Mao Feng – 10g
Tai Ping Hou Kui – 10g
Keemun Mao Feng – 10g
Osmanthus Keemun – 10g
We can’t wait to hear from your feedbacks on our teas. Join us on this journey and let us be your guide as you explore the enchanting world of Huang Shan teas.
Please note that the tea and tea wares will be shipped in seperate packages according to customs requirement. Usually tea will come slightly later than the tea wares.
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If you’ve spent any time in the world of Yixing clay teapots, chances are you’ve heard whispers of “Mansheng” (曼生) or the legendary “Mansheng Eighteen Forms.” (“曼生十八式”) In the realm of yixing clay (Zisha) craftsmanship, few names evoke as much reverence as Chen Mansheng (陈曼生) and the artistic teapots that bear his vision.
But what exactly is a Mansheng teapot? And what makes the Eighteen Forms so iconic?
Let’s take a deep dive into the fascinating story of Mansheng teapots, uncover the meaning behind the Eighteen Forms, and explore the brilliant minds and skilled hands that brought them to life.
During the Jiaqing (嘉庆) reign of the Qing Dynasty, a scholar and artist named Chen Hongshou (陈鸿寿), styled Mansheng, was serving as a magistrate in Liyang, Jiangsu. A gifted calligrapher, painter, and seal carver, Mansheng’s artistic spirit found a perfect match in the local Zisha (Yixing clay) tradition.
There, he formed a historic collaboration with two master potters: Yang Pengnian and Yang Fengnian, siblings renowned for their craftsmanship.
Together, they pioneered a new style of Yixing teapot that would come to be known as the Mansheng Eighteen Forms—or simply, Mansheng Teapots.
At the time, most teapots followed fairly conventional forms. But Mansheng was no ordinary designer—he wanted to break the mold.
Combining his mastery of poetry, seal script, and painting, he brought an unprecedented level of literary elegance to teapot design. Every curve, every inscription was considered with intention. His collaborators, the Yang siblings, brought those ideas to life with exceptional clay work and precise shaping.
This fusion of fine arts and functional design gave rise to a brand-new aesthetic in teaware—one where “the pot is honored by its inscriptions, and the inscriptions live through the pot.”
You’ll often find teapots with large areas dedicated to inscriptions—poems, seal script, or decorative motifs—accompanied by signatures like Mansheng, Mansheng Ming, or A Mantuo Studio. These aren’t just ornaments—they’re the soul of each teapot, capturing the artistic values and literati ideals of the Qing dynasty.
Here’s a closer look at some of the most beloved designs within the Mansheng canon. Each one carries not just beauty and function, but a deep cultural story.
One of the most celebrated shapes, the Shihpiao teapot was inspired by an old woman using a stone ladle to draw water. Its clean trapezoidal body, short straight spout, and triangular handle reflect both strength and elegance.
Adorned with poetic inscriptions, the Shihpiao form strikes a balance between rustic charm and intellectual grace—perfect for those who appreciate simplicity with depth.
Modeled after ancient stone water scoops, this teapot features a bold upright handle and compact spout. The shape is both functional and symbolic, evoking themes of abundance, motion, and energy. Its upright silhouette gives it a commanding presence in any tea setting.
With a name meaning “retreating moon,” this form mimics the soft curve of a waning crescent. The handle and spout mirror each other in a flowing, balanced arc. Often etched with delicate poetry or landscapes, the Queyue evokes serenity, romance, and poetic imagination.
Inspired by a traditional rooftop tile, the Banwa teapot has a semi-cylindrical body and arched handle, suggesting stability, humility, and the beauty of everyday life. It’s often engraved with proverbs or wise sayings, making it a favorite among lovers of Chinese philosophy.
The Baina teapot is unlike any traditional Yixing form. Its name, meaning “hundred patches,” refers to a body design that resembles a mosaic of irregular yet harmonious sections—like a quilt of timeworn fragments, each telling a story.
Crafting this pot requires extreme precision. The Yang siblings skillfully shaped and joined each “patch,” ensuring balance and unity. The short, slightly upturned spout provides smooth water flow, while the fluid curves of the handle ensure comfort.
Mansheng’s poetic inscriptions are often engraved directly across the seams, enhancing the visual rhythm and embedding literary charm into the very structure.
With its smooth, rounded body and soft upward lines, the Hengyun teapot resembles a drifting cloud at twilight. The spout, slightly raised, feels like a delicate brushstroke across the sky, while the sturdy handle provides grounding.
Often decorated with bold calligraphy or serene paintings, this teapot expresses a literati ideal of detachment, freedom, and poetic thought.
Inspired by the wellhead structures once common in village life, the Jinglan teapot features a tall, cylindrical body with flat shoulders and a slightly domed lid. Its ear-shaped handle and strong, short spout make it both practical and symbolically rich.
This design pays homage to the quiet dignity and reliability of everyday living. The pot speaks of groundedness, sustenance, and the depth of life beneath the surface.
A celebration of harmony and togetherness, the Hehuan teapot is shaped from two symmetrical halves, echoing the ancient hejin marriage cup used in traditional Chinese wedding rituals.
Its flowing, rounded silhouette and joyful energy are enhanced by fine calligraphy and balanced detailing.
Modelled after an antique chess piece box, the Qilian teapot evokes strategy, calm focus, and refined taste. Its broad, low profile and tightly fitted lid resemble a chessboard, while the lid knob is shaped like a chess piece.
The Paogua teapot, shaped after the natural gourd (a symbol of prosperity and fertility), features a bulbous body and vine-like curvature. The gourd, or hulu, has long represented good luck, health, and abundance in Chinese tradition. Each element—spout, lid, and handle—flows like a living plant, capturing the essence of nature. This pot feels as if it were plucked from a tranquil countryside and placed gently into your hands.
The Zhoupan teapot takes inspiration from the full moon and ancient compass disks. Its round, flat form symbolizes wholeness and principle, while its balanced proportions offer a calming sense of symmetry. Often inscribed with verses or aphorisms about virtue and longevity, this pot is a subtle statement of equanimity and integrity.
Composed of two stacked spheres, the Hulu teapot draws directly from the gourd’s natural form and auspicious meaning. The connection between its upper and lower chambers echoes the balance between fortune and prosperity, while its gentle curves invite a joyful, tactile experience. A favorite for gift-giving, it’s seen as a symbol of harmonious blessings.
Shaped like a traditional bamboo rain hat from southern China, the Liyin teapot is graceful and soothing. Its subtle, sloping silhouette and delicate lines embody rustic elegance. Often engraved with pastoral poetry or landscape sketches, this pot evokes the beauty of countryside simplicity and artistic retreat.
The Bianshi teapot resembles a smooth, round scholar’s stone, often kept on the desks of ancient literati for contemplation. Its low, weighty form suggests solidity and quiet strength, while its understated detailing reflects a refined aesthetic. The pot encourages stillness and reverence, making it a perfect match for meditative tea sessions.
Lighthearted and joyful, the Bangua teapot is shaped like a sliced melon—refreshing and plump. Every line celebrates natural bounty. Its form captures a fleeting moment of summer delight, while the inscriptions often playfully echo its fruity form. It’s a pot that brings smiles to the tea table.
Designed to echo the shape of a full moon, the Yannian teapot symbolizes health and long life. Its smooth, flattened body pairs with thoughtful inscriptions of well-being, vitality, and graceful aging. Rooted in Confucian ideals, it reflects both the aesthetics and philosophy of the literati class.
With six crisp, geometric sides, the Guling teapot pays homage to ancient bronze ritual vessels known as gu. Its commanding presence and architectural clarity give it a ceremonial gravitas, while its meticulous craftsmanship ties it firmly to the tradition of scholarly refinement and moral rectitude.
The Ruding teapot is distinguished by its evenly spaced raised studs—symbols of fertility, resilience, and endless blessings. Each bump is hand-sculpted with precision, creating a rhythmic, celestial texture that draws the eye and invites touch. Symbolically, this teapot represents continuity, legacy, and the joy of creation.
It’s worth noting: “Eighteen Forms” isn’t a literal count. In Chinese culture, the number 18 often represents “many.” Scholars estimate nearly forty distinct Mansheng-style designs exist today, including rare forms like Pumpkin Tiliang, Jingwa, and He Pan.
The Mansheng Eighteen Forms represent more than functional teaware. They reflect a seamless fusion of literature, calligraphy, painting, symbolism, and craftsmanship. Created by a literati master and visionary artisans, these teapots have become cultural artifacts of lasting influence.
Owning a Mansheng-style teapot is more than acquiring a brewing vessel. It’s a way of holding history, art, and spirit in your hands—a daily celebration of tradition through tea.
Here are the Mansheng teapots we have in our collection, feel free to check them out.
