Chapter 3
达变
Adaptation
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Page 120

English Translation

The path was completed steadily and surely. This was the greatest accomplishment of 1990, the most significant contribution to society in my lifetime, the most honorable thing I have done—a generous legacy laid down for future generations. In addition to the two teapots recorded in his diary, he later donated two more, raising 200,000 yuan in charitable funds. Combined with the 100,000 yuan contributed by his apprentice Xu Handang, they jointly established the "Gu Jingzhou Education" and "Xu Handang Children's" scholarship funds in Dingshu Town. These funds were created to reward teachers who made significant achievements in primary, secondary, and preschool education, as well as municipal-level "Three Goods" students and winners of various competitions. In March 1991, the Dingshu Town People's Government specially convened a meeting at the Taodu Cinema to commend the exemplary deeds of Master Gu and his apprentice, calling on everyone to learn from them. The charitable actions of Gu Jingzhou and his apprentice influenced a large number of Yixing pottery practitioners, who gave generously back to society and promoted positive social values in different ways. In September 2014, Mr. Xu Handang contributed his life's savings to society, donating ten million yuan to establish the "Xu Handang Education Foundation," which carried forward Gu Jingzhou's life values and philosophy. --- [1] Wuxi Radio and Television Station: *The Purple Clay Master Gu Jingzhou* (CD), 2010