The Chinese name 小乳鼎壶 literally reads as “small‑nipple ding teapot.” The exact historical cataloguing of this specific form is somewhat ambiguous — the term likely describes a small teapot shaped or decorated with features evoking a ding (鼎), an ancient Chinese bronze cauldron, and bearing small rounded protuberances or “nipples” (乳) as ornament or structural bosses.

Brief history: the ding is one of the most emblematic ritual bronzes of the Shang–Zhou periods and its tripod silhouette and decorative vocabulary have been echoed in later ceramic and teapot design. From the Ming–Qing eras onward, potters (especially in Yixing) adapted archaic vessel types into functional teapots, producing miniature forms for gongfu tea practice. Decorative nodules and archaizing motifs were common ways to reference antiquity while remaining practical for brewing.

Shape note: a 小乳鼎壶 would typically be squat and compact, sometimes tripod‑inspired or with a broad rounded body, low profile, and a lid with a small finial; the “乳” element appears as small rounded bosses on the body or lid, adding tactile interest. These teapots are usually small in capacity and intended for concentrated, single‑session brewing; materials range from Yixing zisha to stoneware or porcelain depending on the maker.
Wood-fired handmade Yixing teapot made from Duanni clay sourced from the original Huanglongshan mine. Xu Shun Wei.