The anatomy of the Chinese Yixing teapot: shoulder, belly, bud and … hump

The Inuit have about 30 ways to say “snow.” Arabs sport an enviable vocabulary to describe camels and their equipment. Italians are unbeatable at naming pasta… To each his own or, as philologists say, language is the most direct expression of a culture. We are not surprised, then, that the Chinese are so thorough and creative in describing the parts of the teapot: in addition to handles and spouts, their prized Yixing have shoulders, bellies, beehives, stems, and even humps!

Clockwise from top: air vent, lid, hump, shoulder, handle, belly, bottom, rim, beehive, flow, spout, rim, bud.

Source: The Way of Tea: The Sublime Art of Oriental Tea Drinking (2002) by Master Lam Kam Chuen