The earliest appearance was that of the lotus seed teapot. As early as the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty or even earlier, the lotus seed-shaped teapot had already existed. The original lotus seed shape consists of circles stacked one upon another, from small to large, repeatedly, symbolizing the traditional Chinese concept of "continuous birth of noble children."
Another classic teapot shape, the "duo zhi" (掇只) teapot, evolved from the lotus seed teapot by removing the ears beneath the teapot handle. The lid also transformed into a double layer, representing the meaning of stacking.
Later, Feng Youting and his disciple Cheng Shouzhen elevated the neck of the duo zhi teapot, made the lid more semi-circular, and the knob more round. This resembled three fuller spheres stacked together, hence the name "duo qiu" (掇球), meaning stacked balls.
The lotus seed, duo zhi, and duo qiu teapot shapes are all interconnected, each with its own unique charm, making them classics in the world of teaware.
