Qinquan Yixing Teapot: Shape, Origin and 6 Real Examples

September 24, 2026

Qinquan Yixing teapot in Jiangponi clay, 140 ml

The Qinquan (秦权) takes its shape from an object: the quan, the bronze counterweight used on steelyard scales when the Qin dynasty unified weights and measures. The teapot keeps that weight's form — a tall, bell-like body that narrows toward the top, with a bridge knob where the weight's hanging loop would be. It is a plain, dignified, heavy-looking pot.

This guide covers what defines the shape, its history, what to check, and our six Qinquan, listed at the end.

What defines the shape

A bell-shaped body. Tall and gathered in at the top, like a steelyard weight — steady and grounded.

An inset lid and a bridge knob. The slightly domed lid is set into the mouth so that it merges with the body. The knob is a bridge, echoing the loop of the original weight.

Close-up of the bridge knob and inset lid of a Luni Qinquan teapot — No. 125 — Qinquan, Luni clay, 180 ml, by Fan Weibing.

A short, upturned spout with plenty of force in its curve, and a ring handle — the early form; a dragon-shaped handle appeared later. The base is recessed.

Close-up of the short upturned spout of a Jiangponi Qinquan teapot — No. 100 — Qinquan, Jiangponi clay, 140 ml, by Gu Peijun.

Where it comes from

The idea behind the shape goes back to the Qin dynasty's standard weights. As a zisha teapot, the Qinquan is recorded as a traditional form whose original maker is unknown; its best-known examples date from the mid-to-late Qing. Yang Pengnian made a celebrated mid-Qing version; late-Qing inscribed collaborations are recorded under the names Mei Youzhu and Yunshi; and Gu Jingzhou's plain Qinquan is regarded as a modern model of the undecorated form.

Sizes and clays: sources vs our catalogue

Sources name zini, Dicaoqing and duanni as common clays, with typical capacities of about 200 to 350 ml and an overall range of roughly 140 ml to a litre.

Ours are all small. The six run from 75 to 180 ml, with a median of 145 ml, and two of them — 90 ml and 75 ml — are smaller than the lowest figure sources give. None is in the classic zini clays: three are in Jiangponi-type clays, and the others are in Luni, Shihuang and reduction-fired Zhuni.

180 ml Qinquan teapot in Shihuang clay held in hand — No. 112 — Qinquan, Shihuang clay, 180 ml, by Hu Xiuping.

Reduction-fired Zhuni Qinquan teapot, black surface, held in hand — No. 207 — Qinquan, Reduction-Fired Zhuni clay, 90 ml, by Liu Haohan. Reduction firing turns the zhuni dark.

75 ml gold-splashed Qinquan teapot in Qing Jiangponi clay held in hand — No. 256 — Qinquan, Qing Jiangponi clay, 75 ml, by Liu Xiuhua. Our smallest Qinquan.

How to check a Qinquan

Sources sum up a good Qinquan in three words: grand, antique and forceful. In practice, check that the body looks tall and settled rather than squat, that the lines flow with tension, and that the knob, handle and any inscription are in proportion. The bridge knob, inset lid, short upturned spout and ring handle together are the signature.

Carved Qinquan teapot in Jiangponi clay — No. 430 — Qinquan, Jiangponi clay, 150 ml, by Liu Xiuhua.

All 6 Qinquan 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
100	Qinquan	Jiangponi	140 ml	Fully handmade	Gu Peijun
125	Qinquan	Luni	180 ml	Fully handmade	Fan Weibing
207	Qinquan	Reduction-Fired Zhuni	90 ml	Reduction-fired	Liu Haohan
112	Qinquan	Shihuang	180 ml	Fully handmade	Hu Xiuping
256	Qinquan	Qing Jiangponi	75 ml	Gold-splashed	Liu Xiuhua
430	Qinquan	Jiangponi	150 ml	Hand-carved	Liu Xiuhua