The reason why Yixing pottery carving is beloved by literati lies primarily in the fact that, through the refinement of the carving knife, Yixing clay can embody the brushwork and ink charm of calligraphy and painting, or the rugged and mottled "bronze and stone flavor." Therefore, Yixing pottery carving has gradually been perfected and matured through the continuous participation and promotion of successive generations of literati. When studying the decorative arts of Yixing ware, Gu Jingzhou fully affirmed the participation of literati in Yixing creation: > During the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, literati and scholars such as Zheng Banqiao and Chen Mansheng combined their efforts with pottery artisans, integrating literati calligraphy and painting through carving methods with exquisite pottery craftsmanship. This elevated the art to an elegant artistic style, breaking free from the vulgar habits of artisan-style decoration. It emphasized artistic cultivation in calligraphy, painting, and carving. Hence the saying: "A fine teapot increases in value with inscribed characters, and the characters are transmitted through the teapot." "Jade Dew" Poetry Suite (detail) | Duan Clay Fairness Cup (detail) At the same time, he also provided clear opinions on the content and techniques of pottery carving decoration: > The traditional decoration of pottery art, "pottery carving," must first consider the content reflected in the inscriptions and themes. It must embody reasonable and appropriate literary vocabulary, the beauty of calligraphy and painting, and elegant style. The precision of the carving knife technique and the charm of bronze and stone flavor can enable people to appreciate and savor the vessel endlessly.[1] The pottery carving decoration on Gu Jingzhou's Yixing works vividly demonstrates his pursuit of pottery carving decoration and his profound skill. The pottery carving decoration on Gu Jingzhou's works mainly includes the following types: --- [1] Gu Jingzhou, *The Art of Teapots*, in *Collection of Clay Teapots*, edited by Haiyang Yixing Pottery Art Company (Hong Kong: Far East Publishing House), p. 7. [2] Gu Jingzhou, "A Brief Discussion on the Appreciation of Yixing Pottery Art," in *Annals of Yixing*, edited by Shi Jundang and Sheng Pansong (Shanghai: Wenhui Publishing House, October 1991), p. 180.