Qin Xun's Zhuni Clay Flat Palace Lantern Teapot

This Flat Palace Lantern Teapot is made of Zhuni clay. Its color resembles cinnabar, and its texture is as smooth and delicate as congealed fat. The pot body is flat, round and bulging, just like the shade of a palace lantern—plump yet not bulky, tapering naturally from top to bottom with soft and smooth lines that achieve the effect of "lying steady without collapsing". It not only has the relaxed elegance of a flat-shaped teapot, but also retains a crisp and upright structure.

The flush lid rises slightly, echoing the flat round knob and the curved layers of the pot body in perfect harmony. The three-curved spout has a round and pointed tip, ensuring a steady and concentrated water flow. The loop handle is well-proportioned in thickness, looking sleek and well-coordinated with the whole piece.

Though seemingly plain in both appearance and style, the teapot fully demonstrates the potter’s profound expertise and sophisticated craftsmanship, exuding the refined and elegant charm of literati characterized by "a simple, unadorned look that is neither constrained nor flabby".