{"id":575,"date":"2023-09-10T13:43:11","date_gmt":"2023-09-10T13:43:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teeregen.de\/?p=575"},"modified":"2023-12-02T11:23:59","modified_gmt":"2023-12-02T11:23:59","slug":"yixing-clay-teapot-lixing-pear-shape-shape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teeregen.de\/en\/yixing-clay-teapot-lixing-pear-shape-shape\/","title":{"rendered":"Classic Teapot Shapes – Lixing"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A little pear changes history.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\u68a8\u5f62
–
lixing
–
pear shape<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u68a8\u5f0f lishi – broad term for all pots with heavier bottom, like \u68a8\u5f62 lixing, \u601d\u4ead siting, \u541b\u5fb7 junde (both named after their creators)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u68a8\u5f62 lixing – specific pear-shaped style of teapot<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Today, let\u2019s shine the light on a small but fine teapot and explore more of tea\u2019s past. The history of tea is 5000 years old, but the teapot is fairly new. We are talking Ming and Qing Dynasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the old designs from the Ming Dynasty is the pear-shaped teapot. This is a very classic design for small teapots made famous by the potter Hui Mengchen in the 17th century (compare shuiping teapot). In fact, he was so well-known for this design that you can also find this shape under the name Mengchen teapot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His design was copied and imitated a lot in China but it was also this design that made its way to Europe and became the inspiration for many European teaware designs (although they were, of course, larger in volume). Queen Anne\u2019s silver tea service was based on the lixing pot, and that tea service was in turn inspiration for other teaware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might find another name Siting \u601d\u4ead for this shape (translates to \u2018pavilion of thought\u2019 but is the name of a Qing Dynasty potter). There are many debates about whether they are the same or not and if not what the difference is\u2026from what I can gather, the siting teapot is the refined version of the pear. Siting pots tend to be a bit more elegant and slender, with more curves on the body and spout. The pear tends to be a bit more plump. But often the terms are used interchangeably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get yourself some ‚Teapot Shapes I‘ postcards!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n