Brief note: the exact form name "仙女扁平壶" (xiān nǚ biǎn píng hú) is not a widely standardized historical category and may be a modern or poetic trade name—so the account below is a cautious, general context based on traditional Chinese teapot practice.
Description:
The word 仙女 (literally “immortal maiden” or “fairy”) suggests a delicate, graceful aesthetic, while 扁平壶 means a flattened or low-profile teapot. Flat-bodied teapots have long appeared in Chinese tea-making, especially among Yixing and Jiangsu/Anhui workshop traditions where potters experimented with silhouettes as part of both functional design and artistic expression. From the late Ming into the Qing dynasty, makers developed many variant shapes—round, ovoid, angular and flattened—to suit different teas and table settings.
A flattened teapot typically features a broad, low body, a low-fitting lid, and a short, horizontal spout and handle, producing a horizontal, disk-like silhouette that reads as restrained and elegant. Functionally, its compact, shallow chamber promotes quick, even infusion for short gongfu-style sessions and offers a pleasing balance when poured. Materials often associated with such forms include unglazed purple clay (zisha) or other stoneware clays, which highlight surface texture and patination over time. The “仙女” name emphasizes refinement and feminine grace in both form and finishing.
Wood-fired handmade Yixing teapot made from Duanni clay sourced from the original Huanglongshan mine. Xu Shun Wei.
