yixing teapot ban yue

The Ban Yue Teapot

The Ban Yue Teapot

The Ban Yue Teapot (半月壶, Bàn Yuè Hú) was created by Chen Mansheng during the Qing Dynasty. It is one of the classic designs from his famous "Mansheng Eighteen Styles" series.

yixing teapot named ban yue on the table

The Tang dynasty poet Zhang Jiuling wrote: "Over the sea, the bright moon rises; far apart, we share this moment." This beautiful line not only paints a lovely scene but also gave Chen Mansheng great inspiration. He used purple clay teapots to express his understanding of life, culture, and art.

With this Ban Yue Teapot, Mansheng wanted to teach a lesson: Sometimes, trying to be perfect leads to less than perfect results. Letting things be can be better. Taking a step back can open up new possibilities. True wisdom often lies in being flexible. This teapot is full of philosophical meaning about how to live.

About the Teapot’s Design

The Ban Yue Teapot has always been loved for its simple and elegant look. It has been popular from ancient times until now.

As the saying goes: "A bright moon sends longing over a thousand miles; a half-moon makes us miss even more." This teapot does not just represent missing someone. It also expresses a traditional Chinese hope for reunion—for the family to be together when the moon is full.

The teapot is balanced and harmonious. Its design is simple and smooth. It has both bold and soft features, like a well-written poem that becomes more charming the more you read it. The Ban Yue Teapot creates a feeling of longing for reunion from deep in the heart.

The style is simple and classical. The spout, knob, handle, and body are all in perfect proportion. The body is full and shaped like a half-moon, giving a dignified and ancient feeling. It has a short curved spout, a round knob, a strong handle, and a flat base.

Looking closely at the Ban Yue Teapot, the body resembles a half-risen moon. The shape is stable and simple, but also soft and beautiful. Its lines and decorations remind us of real emotions in life. They also make people think of the beautiful imagery in Tang and Song poetry—a kind of hope and concern.

This hope comes from a deep desire for reunion. Holding this teapot, one can’t help but recall the ancient line: "This melody should only exist in heaven; how rarely can it be heard in the human world." The Ban Yue Teapot is just like the moon in the sky—or a precious work of art that has fallen to earth.

ban yue yixing teapot

A Short Story About the Ban Yue Teapot

When Chen Mansheng was an official in Liyang, he was very honest and upright. One year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, his family and friends came specially from his hometown to celebrate with him.

Under the bright full moon, everyone laughed and talked happily at the banquet. Some friends knew that Chen Mansheng had created a new teapot and asked, "Can we see your new teapot?" Chen Mansheng agreed and brought the teapot out from his house to show everyone.

At that time, the teapot was round. They asked, "What will you name this teapot?" Mansheng said, "I want to capture the meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival reunion. I’ll call it the 'Full Moon Teapot.'"

After looking at it, some friends said, "Since it’s the moon, it should be fuller." Others said, "To make it look more like the moon, you should add a cloud pattern." Some said the knob was too big; others said the spout was too long. Everyone had a different opinion.

Chen Mansheng felt a little disappointed. After the banquet ended and everyone left, he cleaned up the table feeling somewhat sad. Looking at the full moon in the sky, he thought, "I had hoped to share the joy of the full moon with everyone and get some good suggestions. But none of the ideas from my friends were what I wanted."

He realized: when things are too perfect, there is always some flaw or shortage. He went back into the house, picked up the Full Moon Teapot, and looked at it for a while. He thought, "When things are too complete, there might be disappointment. If I make a teapot that is not completely round, maybe it can feel more complete and lasting." So, he changed the Full Moon Teapot into the Ban Yue Teapot.

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