Chapter 7
明志
Clarifying Aspiration
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of 659
Page 475

English Translation

In 1990, Gu Jingzhou was photographed with his old classmates from Dongpo Elementary School and his son and daughter-in-law during his hospitalization in Nanjing. A family photo with Gu Jingzhou was also taken. The 1980s marked the second peak of Gu Jingzhou's Yixing pottery art. During this period, in addition to the base seals "Manxiao Taoyi" (Manxiao Pottery Art) and "Jingzhou Shouzhi" (Handmade by Jingzhou) and the lid seal "Gu Jingzhou" used when demonstrating for apprentices at the Purple Sand Research Studio, Gu began using the new seal "Hu Ao" (Teapot Profound) on the handles. The base commonly bore name seals such as "Gu Jingzhou Yin" (Seal of Gu Jingzhou) and "Jingzhou Qishi Hou Zuo" (Made by Jingzhou After Seventy). Simultaneously, Gu used leisure seals including "Sheng Yu Yimao" (Born in the Year of the Rabbit), "Taohu Waishi" (Unofficial Historian of Pottery Teapots), and "Chaoshan Huyin" (Recluse of Chaoshan Teapots). He also employed special seals "Lixia Meilin" when collaborating with Han Meilin in 1988 on "Tiliang Aisuo" (Handle Beam Ai Suo) and "Ci Le Tiliang Hu" (This Joyful Handle Beam Teapot). There was also a name seal "Huren" (Teapot Person), which was only used once on a "Sanzu Ruding Hu" (Three-Legged Breast Tripod Teapot) in the late 1980s. The "Hu Ao" seal, which began to be used in the late 1970s and early 1980s, appeared on almost every piece in Gu Jingzhou's later works. This was because Gu, approaching seventy years of age and having worked with purple sand clay for fifty years, had reached the pinnacle of his craft and hoped to engage in more mature reflection on his artistic works. On the other hand, this also represented Gu Jingzhou's summary and reflection on life in his twilight years. "Chaoshan Huyin" became another important seal in Gu Jingzhou's later years, embodying his love for his hometown. This seal was carved by the seal engraver Wang Shaoshi. In August 1993, Gu Jingzhou commissioned the Shanghai Science and Education Film Studio...