# 1989 Gu Jingzhou and Wang Xuan[1] (Right second) Gu Jingzhou's elementary school classmate from Dongpo) # 1990 Gu: Photo taken during hospitalization in Nanjing (Left second is To study the history of Yixing pottery, to research the styles of famous historical masters and their renowned works, one must also observe the appearance of modern Yixing works, and even more importantly, value the growth and development of the younger generation. I have always opposed copying and imitating. A person must form their own style. Art is not eternally unchanging; it continuously renews and transforms with the development of the times. Those who do not understand history, do not respect others, and do not study can only be frogs at the bottom of a well. As Yixing pottery culture flourished increasingly, Gu Jingzhou in his later years became a globally renowned Yixing pottery "calling card" for Yixing. Helping more people understand Yixing pottery and share in the joy of Yixing pottery culture thus became an important part of the work for Gu Jingzhou, who was not naturally inclined toward conversation and social interaction. He did not enjoy his twilight years with family like ordinary elderly people, nor did he rest on his laurels like some successful individuals. On the contrary, the urgent sense that "time waits for no one" spurred him to cherish every minute and second, just as he wrote in his own summary: "Although I am over seventy years old, I refuse to accept old age and still insist on going to the factory every day --- [1] Bao Dazhi, *Master and Kindred Spirit: Recollections of Two or Three Matters Concerning Mr. Gu Jingzhou*, *Heaven and Earth, Square and Round*, 1996 Issue No. 15, p. 48