## Shi Ji Hu (Stone Ladle Teapot) Shi Ji Hu is one of the Mansheng teapot styles, evolved from the stone ladle. The stone ladle is a small vessel with a handle and spout. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Su Shi wrote in his poem *Brewing Tea at the Examination Hall*: "Let me learn to drink like the Duke, with brick stove and stone ladle following along." The Shi Ji Hu has a refined and vigorous form, and is one of Gu Jingzhou's most frequently crafted teapot styles. He made it in different periods, including various versions such as "Small Shi Ji Hu," "Medium Shi Ji Hu," "Large Shi Ji Hu," "Crane-Lid Shi Ji Hu," and "Zizhi Shi Ji Hu." The earliest surviving work was made between 1935 and 1936, in green clay. The base is inscribed "Treasured collection of Wei Zijing of Longxi," with a seal impression "Gu Shi" beneath the handle. Based on the traditional Shi Ji style, with slight modifications in details, it adds a touch of vigor to its refinement. The overall form is distinctive and elegant, beautiful and classical, with harmonious and flowing lines and perfect proportions—everywhere revealing Gu Jingzhou's extraordinary skill in his early period. In the late 1970s, he made another teapot in the same style, with a round "Jingzhou" seal on the base and lid, and a "Jing Ji" seal impression on the handle. It was published in the book *Hu Yun* in 1982. In the late 1980s, Gu Jingzhou enlarged the dimensions, increasing the vessel's capacity from 60 milliliters to 220 milliliters, and made the "Small Shi Ji Hu" for the third time, with a "Gu Jingzhou" seal inside the lid, a "Jingshan Huyin" seal on the base, and a "Suoyu" seal near the foot ring on the bottom of the body. ## Large Shi Ji Hu (Press-Fit Lid Style) In 1948, through an introduction by Dai Xiangming of Tiehuaxuan, Gu Jingzhou collaborated with Wu Hufan, Jiang Hanting, and others to create the most important work of the first phase of his artistic life—the "Large Shi Ji Hu." Five Large Shi Ji Hu teapots were completed in total. Aside from one that Gu Jingzhou kept for himself, the remaining four were given to Wu Hufan, Jiang Hanting, Tang Yun, and Dai Xiangming respectively. Among these five teapots, except for Wu Hufan's piece where the painting was done by Jiang Hanting, the front surfaces of all the others... [Note: The Chinese text appears to be incomplete at the end]