## From Internet Cafes to the Sea Gu Jingzhou's Inscription for *Purple Sand Storm* How do we authenticate these highly realistic counterfeits? By combining Gu Jingzhou's habitual techniques and formal characteristics with the basic processes of existing Yixing pottery craftsmanship, we can examine Gu Jingzhou's works from the following aspects: ## 1. Form As handcrafted objects, Yixing teapots—aside from necessary auxiliary tools—are most importantly determined by the maker himself. Therefore, the form of a Yixing teapot is actually a comprehensive embodiment of the maker's artistic vision, aesthetic sensibility, and values. **Balanced Form**: Generally speaking, the body of most Yixing teapots is not a repetition of one or several simple shapes, nor is it a completely symmetrical body from left to right or top to bottom, but rather a kind of symmetry with movement within stillness. Gu Jingzhou particularly emphasized this balance, especially in the shapes of the spout and handle on both sides, as well as the treatment of their junctures with the body. All of these fully adhered to this principle, determined by the visual standards and craft habits he developed over many years. Therefore, when we look at Gu Jingzhou's teapots, we don't see that kind of unevenness—one side high, one side low—nor do we feel that sense of inconsistent weight. **Appropriate Proportions**: From the perspective of proportional structure, Gu Jingzhou's Yixing teapots have well-balanced proportions that are not rigid, giving...