Yucheng kiln is a small steamed bread kiln. It was originally located in a corner of Linjia Garden in Cicheng, Ningbo. I visited it with Yu, former curator of Tianyi Pavilion Museum in Ningbo, and Luo Fengnian, collector of Cicheng. Now it is an idle factory. Mr. Luo Lao has contacts with the descendants of the Lins and has seen the old kiln with his own eyes. It still existed before liberation. Seeing my heart, the old man gave me a personal letter about Yucheng kiln, which made me very moved and cherished. Yucheng Kiln was built in Tongzhi period of Qing Dynasty. According to textual research, it was originally Fenghua Shilin kiln. Later, it was initiated by Mei Diaoding, a calligrapher in Cicheng, and built in Cicheng with the help of famous artists from Shanghai and Ningbo. Although the firing time is not long and the number of products is limited, there are many varieties. These vessels are mainly for the use and communication of literati themselves, and some of them are customized according to the requirements of the same hobby. In addition to all kinds of teapots, there are many other things in my eyes and collection, such as flower pots, flower arrangements, study pen holders, water injection, water bowls, inkpad boxes, inkstones, pigment plates, wall bottles, Weiqi pots and bowls, all of which are elegant, quaint and interesting. The firing is unique and colorful. Although clay refining has changed, it is black and ancient, like gold and iron, tender and tender, like powder and rouge. The seal cutting of calligraphy and painting is different from and higher than the predecessors, and boldly adopts the double-knife sand-picking method. In addition to purple sand ware, the shape of the ware is more literati and the inscription is better. There are original poems, elegant notes and inscriptions imitating previous poems.
Founder Mei Diaoding (1839- 1906), a famous calligrapher in the late Qing Dynasty, was the pioneer of the calligraphy style in eastern Zhejiang, and was known as "Wang Xizhi in the Qing Dynasty". Sha Menghai, a contemporary calligrapher, commented: "On the value of works, not only was no one able to match him at that time, but I am afraid there were no such lofty works in the Qing Dynasty in 260 years." In The Collection of Lu Weng in the Republic of China, Feng, a Chinese educator, said: Lu Weng's surname is Mei, and he is afraid of tuning the tripod. My predecessor moved from Zhenhai to Cixi. He was from Cixi. Weng Shengqing has been a Taoist priest for 19 years. When he was young, he lost his ambition, learned eight methods of mind and was gifted. A little longer, that is, make up the case for doctoral disciples and procurators. Calligraphy is not intermediate and cannot be compared with provincial examinations. Say,' Yes, you can still bend my ambition!' Therefore, I will never seek career advancement. Weng learned everything from ancient books, devoted himself to the two kings within a few days, and in middle age, he considered the north and the south and returned. Confusion and clumsiness in his later years led to his transformation. It should be said that there is no other way to use the pen except that it can be round and broken. At that time, it was called micro-theory. Lonely, avoid high officials, afraid of embarrassment. People who have beggars' books will never get them, or they will get them from wild old weeds. Xu Nanhui (Gao), Wang Manyun (Dingxiang), Wang Yaozun (,), Zhuang (ice stove) and He Tiaoqing (its parts) are the best. After Weng's death, the attempt to write a tomb failed, which also shows that the site is expensive enough. Weng died in the thirty-second year of Guangxu at the age of 67. His book is full of rivers, and calligraphers say that it has not been searched for 300 years. Weng Fei is only good at calligraphy, and his character is outstanding. His reading of the classics is also excellent, and all the strange words and sentences in the Six Classics are ironically recited by Weng Mansheng, which is easy to straighten out. Weng can also write poems, and likes being virtuous and straightforward. The rest is hidden in the title of the book. After Weng's death, the people in our county were able to write a book and lead the patriarchal clan system, and some classes were named after this year. In the next thirty-eight years, Xiaofeng and Li Guangye took Weng's original work as a shadow, and the county citizens Qin Runqing, Xu, Weng Sunhong, Yin Zhaoshuru, Zhu Jigang and Xu Runsheng praised them one after another, and they were not alone in seeing virtue. Interpretation: Mei Diaoding, whose word is Friends of Bamboo, has been named Weng. His ancestors moved from Zhenhai to Cixi, and Weng Sui became a Cixi native. Weng was born in the 19th year of Qing Daoguang. When he was young, he devoted himself to thinking and studying various arts, which seemed to be a gift. When I was young, I enrolled as a doctoral student, and then I was admitted as an inspector in my hometown. Because the calligraphy is not standardized, I was not allowed to take the provincial exam. Weng Suiyan said: "This wronged my ambition!" "So I never seek a career. Weng learned everything about calligraphy in ancient times. When he was young, he devoted himself to the two kings. After middle age, he took part in the study of calligraphy styles in North and South China. After all, he is very comfortable. In his later years, the calligraphy style was completely ignorant and brought into the realm. It can be described as a wonderful pen, and the circle can be broken and closed. There is no other way. It can be called the exquisite composition of calligraphy. Weng was withdrawn by nature, and he avoided it when the dignitaries begged. If someone asks for his paintings and calligraphy, he never gives them away for nothing, but some monks and Taoist scholars often get his ink. Weng Du made friends with Xu Nanhui (Gao ornaments), Wang Manyun (Ding Xiang ornaments), Wang Yaozun (Jia Zhen ornaments), Zhuang (ice algae ornaments) and He Tiaoqing (his sketches) in the same county. After his death, former friend He Tiaoqing tried to build a "pen tomb" for him, but it was not built, which shows how precious Weng's remains are. Weng died in Guangxu 32 years, at the age of 67. His calligraphy works are popular all over the world, and calligraphers say that no one can surpass them in 300 years. Weng is not only good at calligraphy, but also outstanding in character. He is a thrifty and aloof man, and he is unparalleled in studying classics. The strange words and sentences in Six Classics of the Sage were all recited ironically by Weng, and their meanings were smooth. Weng can also write poems, and his poems like to use honest and straightforward words. But writing poetry is his hobby, and the title of poetry is covered by its title, which is not famous in the world. After Weng's death, all the people who were good at calligraphy in our county lived according to their own rules to gain fame at that time. In the following thirty-eight years, Xiao Feng and Li Guangye collected Weng's original works and copied them into books, which were praised by Qin Runqing, Xu, Weng's nephew Hong, Zhao Shuru, Zhu Jigang and Xu Runsheng in Yinxian County, showing that Weng's character was not aloof.
Yucheng Kiln was initiated by Mei Diaoding and led by famous calligraphers and epitaphs such as Ren Bonian, Xu Gu, Zhou Cunbo, Huang Shanshou and Chen. He Xinzhou, a famous pot maker (tentatively from Fenghua, stamped: Yunshi, Xinzhou, Shilin Heshi, Mantuo Flower Museum, etc. ) and Wang Dongshi (Yixing native, seal: Dong Shi, Kufu, etc. Known as "Yucheng", the ancients described jade as loyal to the five virtues of benevolence, wisdom and righteousness. They are also pure, moist, shining and humble. Yucheng should be a person who has made achievements through hard work. It seems to be an eternal goal to be named after Yucheng! At that time, Ningbo's style of writing was at its peak and poets gathered. It is a great pleasure for literati to inscribe on purple sand wares in Yucheng kiln. The carved words and phrases are relevant, meaningful and beautiful. Yucheng's wares are exquisite in shape, superior in quality to jade and vivid in spirit, which has made Yucheng kiln literati purple sand in the history of purple sand, and is another peak of literati purple sand after Ji Chengman was born.
Yu Yu has been obsessed with the collection and research of ancient purple sand artifacts for many years, and has formed an indissoluble bond with Yucheng Kiln. Every time he starts, he will praise and sigh, often moved and even sigh. I dare not say that I have no experience and feel inadequate, so I dare not say more. Writing a short essay is really a topic of discussion. If I can contact my colleagues and contribute to the literati Zisha, it will make me prosperous. This is my wish! It's also my luck! (Zhang Sheng)