The Jingua teapot's form derives from the "ball gourd" with its short handle and round belly. In the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen's *Compendium of Materia Medica: Vegetable Section* classified the Cucurbitaceae family: "Those with a slender head and belly, with a long handle, are called hugua; those without a handle, round and large in flat fan shape, are called bo." Bo is a type of gourd with a round, flat belly and no handle. The Eastern Han *Divine Farmer's Materia Medica: Fruits and Vegetables, Lower Grade* states: "Bitter gourd, bitter in taste, cold in nature..." As a type of container, the gourd was extremely common in daily life, and its form and material were beloved and valued by people. In the late Ming Dynasty, a special craft emerged—gourd vessels—which became popular for a time in both the imperial court and among the common people. In the early Qing Dynasty, the Yixing purple clay craft flourished and developed, with forms constantly innovating. The gourd shape was also introduced into purple clay design. Chen Mansheng of the Qing Dynasty once inscribed on a Yaogua teapot: "Drinking from it is auspicious; the gourd vessel is matchless." Gu Jingzhou's "Jingua teapot" is made from pure purple clay, with a harmonious and lustrous color tone. It takes the form of a drum-bellied shape, larger at the bottom and smaller at the top, stable and serene, with flowing lines and natural transitions. The mouth and lid fit seamlessly together without gaps. The overall form of this teapot is simple, rounded, and elegant—a fine vessel for tea drinking and appreciation. --- [1] Wang Jianmin, *Research on Chen Mansheng* (Hangzhou: Xiling Seal Engravers' Society Press, November 2011 edition), p. 168.