Small eggplant yixing clay woodfired teapot # 94897

I can’t find a widely documented teapot form exactly named "小茄段壶" (literally “small eggplant‑segment teapot”), so the identification is somewhat ambiguous. Based on the Chinese name, however, it likely refers to a small teapot whose profile or surface is modeled after an eggplant or an eggplant’s segmented shape—a common practice in Chinese ceramics and especially in Yixing (zisha) teapots, where forms are often drawn from plants, fruits, or everyday objects.

Brief historical note: teapots with natural‑world motifs became popular as part of the Ming–Qing tea culture evolution. Yixing potters in Jiangsu province refined a large variety of compact, hand‑formed teapots from the 16th century onward; through the Qing era and into modern times craftsmen continued to invent and name imaginative shapes. Small, single‑serving forms developed for gongfu cha, emphasizing concentrated infusion, quick heat exchange, and tactile beauty.

Short note on the shape: the implied “eggplant‑segment” form would be compact and rounded with gentle lobes or a subtly segmented body, a snug-fitting lid, and short spout and handle that preserve an overall organic, slightly asymmetrical silhouette. Such a shape emphasizes tactile comfort and visual naturalism and is well suited to brewing single cups of oolong or black tea.

Wood-fired handmade Yixing teapot made from Duanni clay sourced from the original Huanglongshan mine. Xu Shun Wei.