This teapot, also known as 'bianhu', was moulded in two sections, as indicated by a longitudinal seam on the inside walls. Research suggests the distinction between wine and teapots is not always clear, but applies the rule that the wine pot is usually taller and the handle vertically oriented. In this case, the reference to tea in the inscription clearly indicates that these were teapots. This type of teapot also found some popularity in Japan.Dehua, located on the southeast coast of Fujian province, is well known for its production of white porcelain, known to Europeans as 'blanc de Chine'. The earliest Dehua porcelain was produced as early as the 14th century but the production and quality of these porcelain peaked around the 17th and 18th centuries.
