The Pao Gua Yixing teapot, also known as the Bottle Gourd teapot, is one of the eighteen styles created by Chen Man Sheng, a renowned Yixing teapot maker during the Qing Dynasty. It shares similarities with the Man Sheng Hulu (Gourd) teapot, but it possesses unique characteristics that set it apart from other designs. Playing with this teapot evokes a sense of returning to simplicity and purity, as its original purpose was to alleviate the pain of longing for someone.

After Chen Man Sheng took office, certain regulations of the Qing Dynasty prevented officials from being accompanied by their families. Consequently, Chen Man Sheng had to live apart from his wife and was unable to be together with her for long periods of time. Due to his deep passion for teapots, he came up with the idea of expressing his affection through teapot designs. However, no matter how he designed them, he couldn’t find one that truly satisfied him.

One day, while reading Cao Zhi’s “Luoyang Fu,” he came across a line that caught his attention: “Lamenting the unmatched bottle gourd, praising the tireless ox.” Intrigued by the mention of the bottle gourd, he conducted careful research and discovered that it was a variant of the gourd, also known as the calabash gourd. Interestingly, in ancient times, the bottle gourd symbolized a man living without a wife. This perfectly resonated with Chen Man Sheng’s situation at the time. Inspired by this, he obtained a bottle gourd and observed it daily to create the Pao Gua teapot, capturing its essence in his craftsmanship.

Highlights: Half Handmade

Size: 130ml

Material: Premium Aged Duanni

Filter: Inner ball filter

Origin: Yixing

Packing list: With gift box

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