Gongchun Yixing Teapot: Shape, Origin and Real Examples

September 24, 2026

Gongchun Yixing teapot in Zhuni clay, 150 ml

The Gongchun (供春) teapot looks like a piece of old tree. Its body copies the knotted burl of an ancient ginkgo, covered in lumps, cracks and a worm-eaten-wood texture; the spout bends like a branch, the handle curves like a bough, and the whole pot is deliberately asymmetrical. It is named after Gongchun, one of the earliest potters in Yixing history.

This guide covers what defines the shape, the story of the most famous Gongchun pot, what to check, and our examples, listed at the end.

Gongchun Yixing teapot in Zhuni clay with a burl texture, 150 ml — No. 310 — Gongchun, Zhuni clay, 150 ml.

What defines the shape

A tree-burl body. The body is a flattened sphere with the belly sinking low and the mouth slightly drawn in. The surface is knotted and wrapped with burls and cracks, like wood that insects have eaten through.

Close-up of the cracked burl texture on a Zhuni Gongchun teapot — No. 310 — Gongchun, Zhuni clay, 150 ml. The cracked, knotted surface is the point of the shape.

A melon-stem or lingzhi knob. The knob is usually shaped like a melon stem or a lingzhi fungus.

Close-up of the sculpted knob on a Zhuni Gongchun teapot — No. 310 — Gongchun, Zhuni clay, 150 ml.

A branch spout and a branch handle. The spout bends like an outstretched branch, and the handle curves like a bent bough.

Close-up of the branch-shaped handle on a Zhuni Gongchun teapot — No. 310 — Gongchun, Zhuni clay, 150 ml.

Where it comes from

The Gongchun teapot dates to the Zhengde and Jiajing reigns of the Ming dynasty, in the early 16th century, and is attributed to the potter Gongchun (also written Gong Chun).

The best-known surviving piece is the "tree-burl pot" once collected by Chu Nanqiang. It had lost its lid. Huang Yulin made a melon-stem lid for it, which Pei Shimin later replaced with a lingzhi lid, and the rim of the lid carries an inscription by Pan Zhiliang. The pot is now in the National Museum of China.

What to check

The texture should look grown, not stamped. Sources describe the whole surface as knotted and chestnut-toned, with a rustic, natural feel. Look for variety in the burls and cracks rather than a repeated pattern.

Look inside. Sources note that the inner wall of a Gongchun often keeps the fingerprint marks left when the body was hollowed out.

Asymmetry is intended — but the pot should still sit steadily and pour cleanly.

Zhuni Gongchun teapot pouring tea into a glass pitcher — No. 310 — Gongchun, Zhuni clay, 150 ml.

Sizes and clays: sources vs our catalogue

Sources name original-ore zini and duanni (Benshan Luni, qingduan) as the usual clays, with capacities of about 200 to 420 ml.

Our Gongchun pots are much smaller, from 50 to 160 ml, and are in Zhuni, Golden Duanni and Yellow Jiangponi. Several also add their own motifs — a golden toad, a hidden dragon, painted gold detail — on top of the burl body.

Wood-fired Golden Duanni Gongchun teapot with a hidden dragon motif held in hand — No. 335 — Gongchun, Golden Duanni clay, 150 ml.

Golden Duanni Gongchun teapot with matching cups — No. 369 — Gongchun, Golden Duanni clay, 160 ml. Sold as a set with matching cups.

50 ml Gongchun teapot in Yellow Jiangponi clay held in hand — No. 283 — Gongchun, Yellow Jiangponi clay, 50 ml, by Zhang Qi. Our smallest.

All 4 Gongchun pots in our catalogue

Every pot below has a full photo set on its product page. Click a number to see photos, price and availability.

No.	Variant (as recorded)	Clay	Capacity	Craft	Maker
310	Golden Toad Gongchun	Zhuni	150 ml	Fully handmade	Workshop potter (unnamed)
335	Hidden Dragon Gongchun	Golden Duanni	150 ml	Wood-fired	Workshop potter (unnamed)
369	Gongchun (set)	Golden Duanni	160 ml	Fully handmade	Workshop potter (unnamed)
283	Gongchun	Yellow Jiangponi	50 ml	Appliqué-painted with gold detailing	Zhang Qi