Dragon Pattern Han Tile yixing clay woodfired teapot # 94813

• Height: 5.5 cm
• Weight: 145 g
• Volume: 130 ml

The exact form name "龙纹汉瓦" (literally “dragon-pattern Han tile”) does not appear to be a widely standardized classical teapot type, so the following is a cautious, general description based on the elements of the name.

Brief history: Many Chinese teapot designs—especially in the Yixing (zisha) tradition from the 17th century onward—draw inspiration from earlier material culture, including ancient pottery, architectural tiles and Han-dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) motifs. Craftsmen and modern studio potters have long reproduced or reinterpreted archaeological shapes and decorative schemes, and dragons have been a persistent auspicious motif across Chinese ceramics and tiles.

Shape note: A “Han tile” teapot would typically echo the form of an ancient roof or building tile: a low, flattened or gently curved rectangular/slab body with a compact profile. The dragon motif (龙纹) would be rendered in low relief or incised across the surface. Expect a snug, flush lid, a short, straight or slightly tapered spout and a handle integrated into the slab-like silhouette. Such pieces are often made in stoneware or zisha and are sized for gongfu-style brewing.
Wood-fired handmade Yixing teapot made from Duanni clay sourced from the original Huanglongshan mine. Xu Shun Wei.