Teapots developed greatly in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Before that, all containers with handles were called “water pot” or “pot with handle”. Pot only for tea was in use in Ming Dynasty. Pot made for the shortage that tea easily went cold in bowl and caught dust. It also simplified the process of having tea, so it was greatly welcomed by people at that time. Although both with the current shape and handle, the Ming pot for tea was very different from the water pot for tea dripping in the Song Dynasty. The current shape of the tea pot in the Ming Dynasty was almost even with the pot mouth, so tea would not overflow from it. The shape of tea pot is in an “S” style, instead of a “steep and deep” one which was essential in the tea pot of the Song Dynasty. Tea pot in the Ming Dynasty was always small. And small ones were the precious ones as “Small tea pot will keep the smell from going away and is good for drinking”. The shape of the Qing tea pots followed that in the Ming Dynasty. However, they improved a lot in the material and there were many porcelain tea pots and purple clay tea pots.
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