Yixing purple clay pottery is a comprehensive art integrating ceramic crafts, vessel modeling, sculpture, painting, calligraphy, literature, and epigraphy. It began in the Northern Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It has generally experienced the following developments Stage: From the Song Dynasty to the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty (about the 10th to 16th centuries), it was the initial period of purple clay pottery
In 1976, a large number of purple clay pottery remnants were unearthed from the Yangjiaoshan ancient kiln site in Yixing. The Department of History of Nanjing University and the Nanjing Museum have identified this ancient purple clay kiln site as dating from the Northern Song Dynasty. A purple clay teapot with handles was unearthed from the Wu Jing Tomb in Nanjing in 1966 (the tomb in the 12th year of Jiajing reign in the Ming Dynasty). Its purple clay shape and production techniques are completely consistent with the replicas of the remaining Song kiln vessels in Yangjiaoshan. The poems of Song Dynasty poets such as Ouyang Xiu and Mei Yaochen also have verses about purple clay tea sets. During the Zhengde period of the Ming Dynasty, outstanding potters recorded in documents include Jinsha Temple Monk and Gongchun. From the Jiajing to Wanli years of the Ming Dynasty, it was the mature period of Yixing purple sand
First there were four masters of Dong Han, Zhao Liang, Yuan Chang and Shi Peng, followed by three masters of Shi Dabin, Li Zhongfang and Xu Youquan. Among them, Shi Dabin is the most famous. Its pot making technique changed from the earlier making method and completely switched to the molding method of mallet, circle, and barrel and the inlaid molding method of clay pieces, which was a leap forward in purple sand technology. From the late Ming Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, it was the prosperous period of purple clay crafts
From the late Ming Dynasty to the Yongzong and Qianlong years of the Qing Dynasty (late seventeenth century to early eighteenth century), purple clay craftsmanship developed into decorative patterns and patterns. The peach cup made by Xiang Shengsi in the late Ming Dynasty (now in Nanjing Museum) has exquisite production skills, perfect image and dense structure. It can be called a treasure of sandware. The most prominent representative of this stage is Chen Mingyuan in the late Kangxi period, whose works are known for their skill and creativity. In the early 19th century, the style of purple clay changed greatly. The key figure was the scholar Chen Hongshou (also known as Mansheng). His contribution to purple clay pottery was the first time that seal cutting was used as a decorative method on pots. During the Daoguang and Xianfeng years of the Qing Dynasty, Shao Daheng, an outstanding purple clay craftsman, created his works with concise clay selection, deep shapes, and superb skills. He pioneered a generation of delicate and complicated styles and won high reputation. In modern times and modern times, Yixing purple sand has reached its heyday
From mud texture to technological process, from purple sand scientific research to genre innovation, there have been new developments. Famous players include Huang Yulin, Pei Shimin, Zhu Kexin, Gu Jingzhou, Jiang Rong, Wang Yinxian et al. Among them, Gu Jingzhou's works have smooth and gentle lines and majestic momentum, and he is considered a master of pot art. Zisha celebrities in the past dynasties have used Yixing's unique purple sand clay, endowed it with art and inspiration with their dexterous hands and ingenuity, and created purple sand pottery treasures rich in national, cultural characteristics and artistic life. In recent years, famous calligraphy and painting artists Liu Haisu, Li Keran, Tang Yun, Cheng Shifa, Han Meilin, etc. have also written their own inscriptions, poems and paintings for Zisha works, and created new styles, which has brought the artistic realm and cultural level of Zisha to a new level.