Hanwa
Traditional 漢瓦壺
A short, wide-mouthed cylindrical Yixing zisha teapot (圆器) inspired by circular Qin and Han dynasty earthenware roof-tile ends (瓦当). Its broad flat lid rests atop a straight or slightly flared drum wall and is surmounted by a wide arched bridge knob (桥钮), making it one of the easiest teapot forms into which to load whole or compressed tea leaves and to empty spent leaves.
On this page
- 1Knob
- 2Lid
- 3Spout
- 4Handle
- 5Body
- 6Base
Form#
- Body
- short, broad cylinder (drum-like tube), straight-walled or slightly wider at the base than at the rim, often incised with seal-script or clerical-script calligraphy derived from Han tile inscriptions12
- Spout
- short, stout one-bend or straight tubular spout rising from the mid-wall
- Handle
- broad circular or D-shaped loop handle balancing the stout spout
- Lid
- wide, flat disc lid (压盖) covering the full diameter of the cylindrical mouth
- Knob
- wide arched bridge knob (桥形钮), often pierced with a central oval opening
- Base
- wide flat base with a shallow recessed ring foot
Working volume#
Use the volume to the intended fill level, rather than the exterior dimensions or shape name. Leave room for the leaves and lid, and choose cups or a serving pitcher that can receive a complete infusion. Two pots of the same named form may have very different working capacities.
Variants and sub-types#
Hanwa (漢瓦壺, 'Han roof-tile teapot') adapts the circular end-tile (wadang 瓦當) of Qin and Han architecture into a wide-mouthed cylindrical drum teapot with a broad flat disc lid (yagai 壓蓋) and an arched bridge knob. Because the mouth opening is nearly as wide as the base, it is one of the easiest Yixing forms into which to load long, twisted, or compressed leaves.
| Variant | Profile & Mouth | Clay & Epigraphy |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-wall Hanwa (直筒漢瓦) | Vertical drum wall; flat overhanging disc lid with wide pierced bridge knob; stout one-bend spout | Medium-fired Zini or Duanni; body often incised on one side with Han seal-script tile legends (e.g., 延年益壽) and bamboo or plum on the reverse |
| Flared-base / Tapered Hanwa (喇叭口 / 斂口漢瓦) | Slightly wider base tapering 4–6° toward the rim, or gently concave drum waist (束腰漢瓦) that softens the cylinder | Zini, Qingshuini, or Benshan Lüni; late-Qing Kezhai (Wu Dacheng) and Yang Pengnian studio lineage |
| Low Gongfu Hanwa (矮漢瓦 / 扁漢瓦) | Compressed drum height with an extra-wide mouth and short cannon or slightly curved spout for rapid leaf cooling between infusions | Thin-walled Zhuni or Hongni, or fine Zini |
History#
- Qing, Jiaqing to Guangxu reigns (19th century)Developed by Qing epigraphers and Yixing potters (from Chen Mansheng's circle to Yang Pengnian and Wu Dacheng's Kezhai studio) who translated circular Han roof-tile ends (汉瓦当) into wide-mouthed cylindrical teapots engraved with 金石 (bronze-and-stone) inscriptions.2
- 20th centuryDocumented in Chen Zongmao's 中国茶叶大辞典 (2000, p. 533) as a classic wide-mouthed zisha form (height 7.5 cm, mouth diameter 8.5 cm) prized for its broad lid opening and stability.1
Sources#
Status and editorial notes sources cited
Sources are listed below. Their presence does not certify every claim; source-specific interpretations and unresolved questions are identified in the text. This page has not received independent expert approval.