Y4 An hexagonal “Cultural Revolution” Yixing teapot

Description

Description:  Chinese Yixing teapot of hexagonal form and dark brown clay. It bears incised short inscriptions and vegetal motifs on the sides. It is a typical “cultural revolution” pot, a “Factory number one” product. The seal inside the cover read Zong Xindi, a woman who apparently is a quality controller. The seal under the pot read Zhong Liufang (medium and hexagon, indicating the size and shape). Apparently, the women is a known quality controller working in the 60s and at the time, the makers are not allowed to sign their names, only her stamps are left. The inscription on one side reads 可以清心 (Can clean your heart), a common inscription on Zisha teapots. On the other side, the two bigger characters read 玉乳 (jade breast). Jade breast too is a common inscription on Zisha pots.

Dating:  1960 – 1970

Size:  18.3 cm from handle to spout

Provenance:  Antiquarian market

References:

Notes:  From Wikipedia:

“Yixing Factory Number One is the oldest teapot factory in China. The factory houses skilled artisans who set strict standards for their work. In 1918, the Jiangsu Provincial Ceramics Factory was established for the production of pottery using Yixing clay. By 1932, more than 600 craftspeople worked in Yixing. During the Japanese invasion, the artists scattered and many subsequently died. Under the People’s Republic of China government, industry began to revive. In 1954, 59 potters began the Zisha production group of the Shushan workshop with funding from the Tangdu Pottery co-operative. The government established Factory No. 1 in April 1958. Before that time, no proper ranking existed for the craftsmen. Every maker mined, mixed and took courses and exams to be recognized. It took about three years of training to advance through the system. At each stage the craftsmen were required to complete a test to attain a new title. The craftsmen would begin as an ‘Assistant Master Craftsman’, then ascend through the ranks of ‘Master Craftsman’, ‘Senior Master Craftsman’ and finally ‘National Master Craftsman’. Their signature product was artisan-crafted teapots. Starting in 1966, the Cultural Revolution led Factory No. 1 to begin to produce utilitarian pots in a style known as shui ping hu in vast numbers. Instead of having the name of the craftsman who made the pot on the bottom, these pots had characters that represented Yixing. During this time, the factory walls were filled with slogans painted in red that insisted that art was for the people and not for self-aggrandizement. According to Barbara Oakley, the quality of these pots was far worse than before the revolution. Despite this, many connoisseurs still prize these pots for their simplicity and quality.”