In 1985, Gu Jingzhou was creating the Swan Cigarette Holder > I believe this will surely gain the response and support of more people Some people spread the rumor that Gu Jingzhou's teapots were very difficult to "obtain." Whether familiar or unfamiliar, right or wrong, he understood very clearly in his heart. When others asked him for help with unreasonable matters, he would refuse without mercy. But when requests were reasonable, he always devoted his heart and effort to assist. A saying circulated widely in the Yixing pottery community: "Better to make three teapots than to fit one lid." This is because each time the Yixing clay mixture is prepared differently, and with variations in kiln temperature and firing methods, the shrinkage of the finished product changes, and the resulting color appearance also differs. Yet this very task that everyone was unwilling to do—Gu Jingzhou repeatedly fitted lids for damaged antique teapots in others' collections. For example: he fitted a lid for Chen Hanwen's "Straight Spout Round Body Teapot," fitted a lid for Shao Daheng's "De Zhong Teapot," fitted a lid for Wei Zizhi's "Shi Mei Teapot," and also fitted a lid for Cheng Shouzhen's "Imitation Drum Teapot"—the list goes on and on. When Gu Jingzhou fitted lids, he first studied the original teapot's quality, color, and intended meaning, then created clay, style, and craftsmanship close to the original pot, embodying the form, spirit, and essence of the original work. The painstaking effort he invested was beyond what ordinary people could comprehend. His help in fitting lids for others was usually unpaid and voluntary, because these people had, to varying degrees, helped him or helped the Yixing pottery factory, or he believed they understood and loved Yixing pottery. Therefore, for requests from such people, he never refused.