Image from book page 241
Fāng Zhōng Hú
When a bell rings, pour tea.
The Fāng Zhōng Hú, or Square Bell teapot, is a masterclass in geometric elegance — its wide, stable base flares upward like an ancient bronze bell frozen in clay. Every detail plays along: the hollow bridge-shaped knob, the angular spout and handle, all sharing that same crisp, four-sided geometry. It's a teapot that feels both architectural and alive, like a small monument you can pour tea from.
This design is closely associated with Gu Jingzhou, one of the most celebrated Yixing masters of the 20th century, whose pieces from the early 1960s are now considered national treasures and command extraordinary prices at auction.
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Original Chinese Text 原文
1 “方钟水平壹”以方钟为型 ， 底宽平而稳重，壶身从上往下渐昌渐张 ， 形成钟口开放的效果，挺秀而端庄 。桥钮中空， 形态仿壶身造型 。流 、松截 面缘为四边形，三弯嘴伸曲有度 ,舒展大方 ，和飞轰各相呼应,增加了造型 的动感 。整件回型素洁高雅，尽显风神气骨 “方钟水平索”线条直中有曲，静中有动，在制作技艺上极难把握 。 1981 年 ，紫砂工艺厂成立特艺班 ，顾景舟负责紫砂优秀人才的培养工作 ， 期间曾亲目指导潘持平做方壶，潘持平回忆跟随顾景舟学习的情形 :“顾老 要求很严，我学做方钟过 ，光是索嘴就改了五次。”' 黄怡嘉主编 :《唐人工艺 紫砂陶艺篇》 台北 : 一记唐人工艺出版社，1992年1月版,第 147 页