Chapter 5
独妙
Unique Excellence
212
of 659
Page 212

English Translation

The form of the "Bao Kui Teapot" originates from the ancient Chinese "sunflower mirror" (kui hua jing). The historical "sunflower mirror" had two interpretations: one refers to the saying "sunflowers grow on the wall," meaning this interpretation. The second refers to the mirror itself being shaped like a sunflower, or having sunflower patterns cast on the back of the mirror. To embody the theme of "mirror" in this clay teapot, the work employs the method of "ribbed equal division." The entire body is divided into twelve equal sections, with six lines protruding outward to show yang (positive), and six lines receding inward to show yin (negative), presenting an alternating sense of undulation between concave and convex, yin and yang. This twelve-part concave-convex undulation begins from the knob, extends through the lid surface and sides, the neck, the shoulder and belly of the body, down to the foot ring. The six yin and six yang flow through the entire body without the slightest deviation. The body is made in two segments using "he can tou" (joining method), connected at the shoulder. The upper and lower parts of the spout and the inner and outer sections of the handle extend yang lines to both sides of the body, supplemented by protruding lines on both sides to achieve unity. The edge and center of the lid surface are decorated with sunflower-shaped elements to add layering. At the same time, the lid, knob, and foot ring—these three components—are made to the same thickness on the sides of the knob, using identical horizontal parallel lines to supplement the visual lines on the side of the teapot body, achieving high coordination with the body's lines and enhancing the decorative effect of the horizontal teapot lid.