曼生

Chen Hongshou (陈鸿寿, 1768-1822), better known by his style name Mansheng (曼生), was a distinguished scholar-official and calligrapher of the Qing Dynasty who revolutionized Yixing teapot design. He served as a magistrate in various locations and was deeply involved in the literati culture of his time. Mansheng is most famous for creating the "Mansheng Eighteen Styles" (曼生十八式), a series of teapot designs that integrated poetry, calligraphy, and functional pottery in unprecedented ways.

Mansheng collaborated closely with skilled Yixing potters, most notably Yang Pengnian (杨彭年), to realize his artistic visions. He would inscribe his own calligraphy and poetry directly onto the teapots, elevating them from utilitarian objects to works of literati art. His approach fundamentally transformed Yixing pottery by emphasizing the integration of scholarly aesthetics with craft tradition, establishing a model that influenced generations of subsequent artisans and collectors.