## 1952 **March** - Accepted Xu Handang as apprentice Created "Lotus Temple Water Register" teapot ## 1954 **October** - Responded to government call to participate in establishing the Tangdu Production Cooperative's Yixing purple clay workshop ## 1955 **Spring** - Li Fuchun, then Vice Premier of the State Council, inspected the Yixing pottery production cooperative. Gu Jingzhou accompanied him and reported on production conditions **October** - Gu Jingzhou was appointed as "Technical Instructor" and took charge of recruitment for the first purple clay craft training class. Li Changhong, Shen Yinghua, Bao Xiuyun, Gao Yongjin, Xu Cheng and others became students **December** - Shu Fengying joined the cooperative to study under Gu Jingzhou Created "Large Stone Gourd Ladle" for the second time (commissioned by Yang Gufang) ## 1956 The craft class recruited a second group of students. Gao Haigeng, Shan Shufang, Wang Hongjun, Shi Jihua, Wang Yajie and others transferred from Wu Yungen to study under Gu Jingzhou Through introduction by Zhu Kexin, Professor Gao Zhuang from the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts met with Gu Jingzhou. They exchanged technical insights and began designing and creating the *Tibi* teapot