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Qing Yu - Sep 12 2024
The History of Purple Clay Teasets
The popular purple clay tea sets are produced in Dingshu Town, Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, my country (known as Yangxian in ancient times).The praise of "What jewels in the world are worth, but a ball of mud at the head of Yangxian River" shows the preciousness of purple clay pottery.
备受人们喜爱的紫砂茶具产于我国江苏省宜兴市丁蜀镇（古时称阳羡）。
“人间珠宝何足取，岂如阳羡溪头一丸泥”的赞誉道出了紫砂陶的珍贵。
Development.
Yixing City is located on the west bank of Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province, and is adjacent to Changxing County in Zhejiang Province and Changzhou City in Jiangsu Province in the north and south.
The area is full of mountains and rivers, and is rich in pottery, so it is known as the capital of pottery. As early as 4,000 years ago, the primitive inhabitants here mastered the pottery making technology.From the cultural relics of the Neolithic period discovered in Yixing, abundant fragments of sand-tempered red pottery, clay red pottery, white-coated black pottery and gray pottery were excavated.The forming method of the utensils is basically hand-made. On the later clay red pottery, simple checkered patterns can be seen. Among the cultural relics excavated from the sites of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, storage vessels in the shape of bowls, basins, pots, etc. have been found. Among them, sand-tempered red pottery is still made by hand, retaining simple and rough patterns. Black pottery and gray pottery are mostly wheel-made, with uniform shapes and new decorations such as carving and hollowing. At this time, brown pottery with a higher temperature has also been fired. The brown pottery body is hard, and in terms of firing technology, it may have progressed from open firing to closed firing, and the kiln cavity temperature has been raised to about 100℃.
At this point, pottery making technology has entered a mature stage.
宜兴市位于江苏太湖西滨，南北分别与浙江的长兴县和江苏的常州市相邻。境内山岭起伏、河流纵横，盛产陶器，有陶都之称。
早在四千年前，这里的原始居民就掌握了制陶技术。从宜兴发现的新石器时期的文化遗址中，发掘出了丰富的夹砂红陶、泥质红陶、白衣黑陶和灰陶的碎片。器皿的成型方法，基本上是手制的。在较晚的泥质红陶上面，可以看到简单的方格纹。从商周时代的遗址中发掘出的文物中已发现钵、盆、壶等器形的盛储器皿。其中夹砂红陶仍用手制，保留着简单粗糙的纹样。黑陶和灰陶多为轮制，器形匀整，并施以雕刻、镂空等新型装饰。这时火候较高的褐色陶也已烧成。褐色陶胎质坚硬，在烧制技术上，可能已从敞口烧进步到封闭烧，窑腔温度提高到100℃左右。
到此，制陶技术已经进入成熟阶段。
The Process of Making Purple Clay Paintings
Origin.
Although Yixing has a history of thousands of years of pottery making, there are many different stories about when purple clay tea sets originated and when an independent and complete production method and system was formed.
The most widely circulated story is the story of the monks of Jinsha Temple and Gongchun making pots. According to legend, there was a Jinsha Temple about ten miles southwest of Dingshu Town, Yixing during the Ming Dynasty. The old monk Zhijing of Jinsha Temple was good at refining clay and had unique skills in making pots. He was quiet and calm on weekdays. He kneaded the clay into a body, used a tool to make it round, then hollowed out the middle of the body, added a lid, glued the spout and handle, and fired it in the kiln for his own use. The pots made by this old monk were exquisite in technique and good in shape. However, this old monk was cynical and eccentric, and he refused to pass on his unique skills. There was a local scholar named Wu Yishan who was studying in the temple, and his book boy was named Gongchun. One day, Gongchun saw the old monk making a pot by chance, and watched him quietly. Over time, Gongchun saw the old monk's method of making pots and remembered it in his heart. In his spare time, he used the waste mud that was left at the bottom of the jar after the old monk washed his hands, and kneaded it into a small teapot with his bare hands. The teapot has a very peculiar appearance. It was made by Gongchun based on the knot of the ginkgo tree next to the temple. It is inspired by nature and resembles a "tangle of trees", which makes it look particularly simple and elegant. After firing, the sand is warm and moist, which is pleasing to the eye, and is slightly better than the teapot made by the old monk. From then on, Gongchun began to make teapots, and the method of making teapots also spread in the local area. Later, people also used the clay after it was settled. The teapot made by Gongchun was called "Gongchun Teapot", which became a famous teapot in history.
The first monograph on purple sand in the world, "Yangxian Teapot Series" by Zhou Gaoqi of the Ming Dynasty, officially declared that Gongchun's teapot was "dark chestnut, like ancient gold and iron, solid and round, and worthy of being called a god".
明 供春制紫砂树瘿壶（现藏中国国家博物馆）
Purple clay tree gall pot made by Gongchun in the Ming Dynasty
(Now in the collection of the National Museum of China)
尽管宜兴地区有着数千年制陶的历史，但紫砂茶具究竟何时起源，何时形成一种独立完整的制作方法和体系，却有多种说法。
而流传最广的属金沙寺僧人与供春制壶的故事了。相传明代时宜兴丁蜀镇西南十几里的地方有个金沙寺，金沙寺老僧智静，善于炼土，身怀制壶绝技，平日闲静有致，平心静气，将泥手捏成胎，用工具规车做成圆，然后掏空胎体中部，加上口盖，粘接上壶嘴和把子，放在窑中烧成后自用。这老僧制的壶，技法精巧，造型不俗。但这老僧愤世嫉俗，性情孤僻，绝技不肯传人。当地有个叫吴颐山的读书人在寺中借读，他的书童名叫供春。一日供春偶见老僧制壶，便悄悄观看，天长日久，老僧制壶的方法被供春看看在眼里，记在心头。闲暇时用老僧洗手后沉淀在缸底的废泥，徒手捏成一把小茶壶。这把茶壶外形十分奇特，是供春以寺旁白果树的树瘤为鉴而制。取法自然，意似“树瘤”，显得分外质朴古雅，烧成后砂质温润，令人喜爱，比老僧所制还略胜一筹。从此，供春便开始制壶，制壶方法也在当地流传开来，以后人们也将泥料沉淀以后使用。供春所制的壶被称为“供春壶”，成了历史名壶。
世上第一部紫砂专著，明周高起的《阳羡茗壶系》中官宣称供春壶“栗色暗暗，如古金铁，敦庞周正，允称神明”。
当代制壶师做作紫砂供春壶
Contemporary teapot maker makes purple clay Gongchun teapot
The story of Gongchun making teapots has been passed down for hundreds of years, but the traditional method of purple clay molding technology is by no means accidental.
The origin of purple clay manufacturing did not start with the monks of Jinsha Temple and Gongchun. It was the essence of craftsmanship summarized by the hard work of skilled craftsmen of all generations. Some scholars have inferred that the origin of purple clay tea sets should be in the Northern Song Dynasty, mainly based on some literary works at that time, especially the poem by Mei Yaochen in the "Collection of Essays by Mr. Wanling" in the Northern Song Dynasty: "The emperor tastes dragon roasted tea every year, and the tea officials pick the buds before the rain. The round fragrance has entered the Zhongdu Mansion, and the fighting products are passed on to the Taifu family. The small stone cold spring retains the early taste, and the new purple clay products are full of spring flowers. There are not many talents in Wuzhong Neishi, and from then on, the water shield soup is not worth boasting about."During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with the change of tea drinking methods, purple clay also ushered in the peak of development. In the Ming Dynasty, cake tea was abolished, and bud tea similar to the current stir-fried green tea was generally consumed. The method of drinking tea was also changed from boiling to brewing, and gradually formed the fashion of brewing tea with purple clay teapots or porcelain teapots. This change in the way of drinking tea also promoted the development of teapots.
供春制壶的故事流传了数百年，然而紫砂成型技术的传统方法，绝非偶然得之。紫砂制造的起源也不是从金沙寺僧人和供春才开始的，它是经过历代能工巧匠辛勤劳作，揣摩实践总结出的工艺精华。有学者推论，认为紫砂茶具的起源应在北宋，主要依据是当时的一些文学作品，特别是北宋梅尧臣在《宛陵先生文集》中有一首诗:“天子岁尝龙焙茶，茶官摧摘雨前芽。团香已入中都府，斗品争传太傅家。小石冷泉留早味，紫泥新品泛春华。吴中内史才多少，从此莼羹不足夸。”明清时期，随着饮茶方法的转变，紫砂也迎来了发展的高峰期。明代开始废除饼茶，而普遍饮用与现在的炒青绿茶相似的芽茶，饮茶的方法也一改煎煮为冲泡，逐渐形成用紫砂茶壶或瓷茶壶冲泡茶叶的风尚。这种饮茶方式的改变，也促进了茶壶的发展。
The color of purple clay is subtle and elegant, with a noble temperament, which is consistent with the elegant temperament of feudal literati, so it is very popular. Many literati competed to collect and participate in the production. The "Dongpo Handle Large Pot" that is now well-known is said to have been designed by Su Dongpo. Many famous literati in the Ming and Qing Dynasties participated in the production and calligraphy and painting of purple clay pots. Such as Dong Qichang, Zheng Banqiao, Chen Hongshou, Chen Jiru, etc. Among them, the first one to be mentioned is Chen Hongshou (Mansheng), a calligrapher and painter of gold and stone in the Qing Dynasty. He promoted the method of inscription and engraving on purple clay teapots, greatly improved the artistic and cultural taste of purple clay pottery, and evolved this practical handicraft into a practical art with high appreciation value.The participation of literati in the production of purple clay pots has greatly promoted the development of purple clay pottery. After ordering purple clay pots or providing patterns, many literati not only put forward their own views and opinions, but also supervised the production in person. Their preferences and interests have a subtle influence on pot-making craftsmen, improving their aesthetic and appreciation levels. In particular, artisans with a certain level of cultural literacy were inspired by literati and showed new ideas in their creations. The interaction and cooperation between literati and artisans gave rise to a commercialized purple sand culture. Citizens followed suit, and a large number of commercial teapots with cultural characteristics appeared on the market, which promoted the development of purple sand teapot art and brought this practical handicraft to a higher level.
紫砂色泽含蓄温雅，具有高贵的气质，与封建文人清雅气质相吻合，因而备受青睐。许多文人雅士竞相收藏，并且参与制作，现在被人们熟知的“东坡提梁大壶”相传就是当年苏东坡设计的。明清时许多著名文人都参与了紫砂壶的制作和书画。如董其昌、郑板桥、陈鸿寿、陈继儒等。这其中要首举清代金石书画家陈鸿寿（曼生）了。他推动了在紫砂茶壶上题铭画刻之方法，极大地提高了紫砂陶的艺术和文化品位，将这种实用手工艺品演化成具有很高欣赏价值的实用艺术品。
文人参与紫砂壶的制作，对紫砂陶的发展产生了极大的推进作用。不少文人在订制紫砂壶或提供图样后，不仅提出自己的看法和意见，甚至还要亲自监制。他们的喜好意趣对制壶工匠潜移默化，提高了审美和鉴赏水平。特别是有一定文化的工匠受到文人的启发，在创作上展现出新貌。文人与工匠的交往协作，产生了一种商业化的紫砂文化。市民纷纷附庸风雅，具有文化色彩的商品茶壶大量面市，从而推动了紫砂壶艺的发展，并使这种实用工艺品跃上更高的台阶。
There are many Yixing purple sand masters
明 时大彬制紫泥平肩素身壶
Ming Dynasty - Shi Dabin Shoulder Plaint Purple Clay Pot
明 时大彬如意纹盖三足壶
Ming Dynasty - Shi Dabin Ruyi Ppattern Lid Three-legged Pot
Shi Dabin (about 1580-1650), courtesy name Shaoshan, was a descendant of Song Shangshu Shi Yan and son of Shi Peng. He was the most influential pottery artist after Gongchun. Many poets who chanted pottery pots mentioned him and Gongchun together.Shi Dabin used wooden molds to make pots in the early stage. It was not until the middle and late stages that he understood Gongchun's molding rules and began to make them completely by hand. That is, the body tube method and the body tube method were used to make the body tube by clay sheet molding, which was entirely made by hand beating, forming a set of reasonable and perfect craftsmanship and technology. Dabin's innovation made the purple clay art unique among many skills. It was the biggest change in the purple clay pot molding process and Shi Dabin's greatest contribution to the purple clay pot art.In his early days, he liked to make large teapots. Later, after he became acquainted with famous literati such as Chen Jiru, he was influenced by their tea drinking methods and aesthetic concepts and changed to making small teapots. Shi Dabin's reform basically fixed the teapot making techniques and teapot size specifications, which have been passed down to this day.
时大彬(约1580-1650年)，字少山，宋尚书时彦的裔孙，时鹏之子，他是供春之后影响最大的壶艺家。众多吟咏陶壶的诗人，都把他和供春并论。时大彬初期制壶用木模成型，直到中晚期，领悟了供春做壶的成型法则后，开始完全用手工制作成型。即打身筒法与镶身筒法，以泥片成型法制成身筒，全靠手工拍打，形成一套合理完善的工艺与技术。大彬的这一创举，使紫砂技艺能够在众多技艺中独树一帜，是紫砂壶成型工艺中的最大变革，也是时大彬对紫砂壶艺的最大贡献。他早期喜做大壶，后与陈继儒等著名文人交游后，受文人饮茶方式和审美观念的影响，改制小壶。时大彬这一变革，将制壶工艺手法和壶型大小规格基本固定下来，并流传至今。
Li Zhongfang and Xu Youquan are outstanding representatives among Shi Dabin's many students. In the ceramic industry, the "three great masters of purple sand" refer to Shi Dabin, Li Zhongfang, and Xu Youquan. Li Zhongfang is the most outstanding disciple of Shi Dabin. He inherited the family tradition and was deeply influenced by this young artist. Dabin's style is "dignified and ancient", while later generations commented that Li Zhongfang "competed with literary skill".
李仲芳和徐友泉是时大彬许多学生中的突出代表，在陶业中，“紫砂三大妙手”即指时大彬、李仲芳、徐友泉师生三人。李仲芳是时大彬门下的第一高徒，师承家学，深深熏染了这个青年艺人。大彬风格“敦雅古穆”，而后人评论李仲芳则“以文巧相竞”。
明-李仲芳制圆壶Ming Dynasty - Li Zhongfang Round Pot
Hui Mengchen (about 1598-1684) produced mostly small pots, few medium pots, and rarely large pots. The purple clay pots he made were simple in size and exquisite in size. He was a famous artist after Shi Dabin.
惠孟臣 (约 1598一1684 年)，作品小壶多，中壶少，大壶罕见。所制紫砂壶大者浑朴小者精妙，是时大彬之后的一位名家。
明-惠孟臣制铺砂圆壶
Ming Dynasty-Hui Mengchen sand-Covered Round pot
清 陈鸣远制南瓜壶
Qing Dynasty-Chen Mingyuan Pumpkin Pot
清 陈鸣远制束柴三友
Qing Dynasty-Chen Mingyuan Three Friends of the Bunch of Firewood
Yang Pengnian (1796-1850) was a famous teapot maker during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. His teapots were casual and natural. In particular, he collaborated with Chen Hongshou from Liyang County near Yixing to create the "Mansheng Teapot". The surface of the teapot was engraved with calligraphy and painting inscriptions, creating a creation and appreciation mechanism that combined the shape of purple clay teapots with calligraphy, painting, poetry, and seal carving, bringing purple clay art to a new level.
杨彭年(1796-1850年)，是清代嘉庆时期制壶名家，其壶随意天成，有天然风致。尤其是与宜兴附近的溧阳县陈鸿寿合作，创作出“曼生壶”。壶面上镌刻书画铭款，开创紫砂壶造型与书法、绘画、诗文、篆刻相结合的创作与欣赏机制，将紫砂艺导入了一个新的境地。
杨彭年制冯承辉上款钱滨定制紫泥如意直壁圆壶
Made by Yang Pengnian, custom by Qian Bin , poem by Feng Chenghui, purple clay Ruyi round pot
清 陈曼生书杨彭年制石萝庵主款段泥百衲壶
Qing Dynasty-inscribed by Chen Mansheng, made by Yang Pengnian Duan clay Monk's robe pot
