Chen Hongshou

Chen Hongshou — better known by his art name Mansheng — was a poet, painter, calligrapher, and government official who fell completely in love with teapots, and Yixing was never the same again. He collaborated with master potters to bring his bold, elegant designs to life, blending the refined sensibilities of a scholar with the earthy beauty of Zisha clay. His famous 'Mansheng Eighteen Forms' didn't just create new teapot shapes — they turned every pot into a tiny work of art, often inscribed with his own witty calligraphy.