技法

[Page 560] # Yixing Pottery Lesson 66 ## Lesson Five: Techniques, December 23, 1981 ### I. Tools for Processing and Handling Details Must Be Made Creatively: Our production tools are not fixed and unchanging. Because our products are quite varied and their forms differ, the corresponding tool requirements also differ. To do good work, one must know how to make tools. Knowing how to make tools for handling details requires everyone to use their minds, so that the tools made are both labor-saving and effective when used. ### II. Regarding the Technical Structure and Treatment of Different Varieties: Figure 1 shows the internal structure of the "Yunyankao" lid. This treatment is unreasonable—it wastes labor and is unnecessary. As shown in the diagram, the interior of the flange is made with two steps, which is unnecessary. It can be done entirely without the stepped form, as shown by the dotted line. This is because Figure 1 differs from the teapot lid in Figure 2. If the flange in Figure 2 were not made with steps, it would be carved through. In order to achieve the purpose of increasing thickness, using a stepped treatment is more reasonable and also adds aesthetic appeal. From this we can see that artistic treatment must be reasonable. One should not mechanically copy and apply methods rigidly, which would be self-defeating through excessive cleverness. [Page 561] # On the Pursuit of Excellence in Yixing Pottery ## Section Five In Figure 3, the false bottom of the "Han Pingtan" is quite high. The current processing method proposed by the model is unreasonable. To press out such a high false bottom from a single clay slab would certainly make the piece too thin, leaving no choice but to forcefully fill it with slip clay. Why not press a thinner false bottom first, then add a thin slab and apply some slip clay? This approach is both labor-saving and more regular, with better results. For products with high false bottoms, it is preferable to add slabs rather than rely on pressing. ## Lids — Types, Distinctions, and Processing There are several types of lids: domed lids, flat lids, single-mouth lids, and bald-mouth lids. A domed lid is arc-shaped, formed using a mold or a doming tool. A flat lid is the commonly seen flat, level lid. A bald-mouth lid is one where, according to the design, no large mold is needed and only a lid slab is applied. The slab for a large-mouth lid should be thicker than that of a regular lid; otherwise, if the mouth is too thin, it will easily crack when the lid is applied. Figure 4 shows the "Lead Box Elder." The lid slab for this piece is a double lid slab. During production, one must first prepare doming tools and molds that meet the requirements. For the "Lead Box," the radius of the domed lid slab must be 1.5 millimeters larger than the radius of the lid. The radius of the second lid should be 3 millimeters smaller than that of the large lid. When joining the lid slabs, first dome both slabs, then place them in the mold and bond them together with slip clay. Before bonding, place a thin piece of paper smaller than the opening size between the two lid slabs to serve as a spacer and facilitate the separation of the domed slabs. The correctness of a domed slab is greatly related to the doming tool. The doming tool should not be too small—it certainly cannot be smaller than the domed slab—but should only be slightly larger than the slab by a thin line. The top of the doming tool should be somewhat flat. ## Example: Steps for Forming the Body and Applying the Domed Lid of the "Pear-Shaped Household Ware" (1) Form the vertical body; (2) Close the bottom; (3) Apply the upper section (upper half portion). For the upper section of the "Pear-Shaped Household Ware," do not use a rib tool to beat it. Instead, use a tool to slightly push out the clay coil, making it slightly flare outward (as shown by the line), then apply the domed lid. The lid slab should be exactly the right size. By "exactly right," it means the clay coil should extend beyond the lid slab by a thin line—in other words, the lid slab should be recessed by a thin line. If the lid slab covers the clay coil, the angle at the joint will inevitably be too sharp and difficult to handle. If the lid slab is too small, it goes without saying that it will sink in, which is obviously incorrect. As we mentioned in the second lesson, when applying a bottom lid, the small eye should face upward. This refers to the general situation. The "Pear-Shaped Household Ware" has a domed lid, which can be treated as an exception. When applying a lid slab to a doming tool, the large eye of the tool can face upward. There currently exists an incorrect operation, which is that the edge of the domed lid should be flat. Some use half-molds to press it, and since the edge of the mold is flat, the edge of the pressed domed slab is flat. Some even work on the doming tool... [Page 562] # Technical Considerations in Yixing Pottery Production The upper rim attachment, when done properly, is actually quite good. The edge of the rim piece naturally forms a ︿ shape. However, some colleagues insist on filing down the raised portion at the bottom of the rim piece. This approach is counterproductive: first, it wastes effort; second, the filing is unnecessary. It's truly thankless work. The fundamental reason is a lack of understanding that technical skill must be applied at critical points. Therefore, the rim effect must be as shown in the diagram above. To achieve this effect: first, do not file away the correct shape that naturally forms on the rim piece; second, the edge of the tool used to press the rim piece should be shaped as indicated by the dotted line. Using the correct method to produce rim pieces has two advantages: first, when attaching the rim piece, it's tight on the inside and loose on the outside, making it less prone to cracking; second, when attaching the rim piece, because the inner corner of the rim piece presses down on the clay coil, when you press the clay coil, it won't shrink inward. This is the key technical point. When engaging in creative work, innovation, or making master molds, one must consider the rationality of the production process and quality assurance. Currently, some products suffer from quality issues due to unreasonable innovations. For example, the raised false bottom of the "Han Ping" style, or the small "coffee pot" shaped varieties—expanding these to larger sizes is an unreasonable innovation. Facts have proven that not a single one of the large-sized teapots produced this way is round or properly level. The reason is that large sizes cannot be attached this way; they are built up by piling clay, which lacks structural integrity. The spout opening is weak or has insufficient flow...