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Sān Zú Dǐng
Ancient bronze vibes, master hands, one unforgettable pot.
Inspired by ancient Chinese bronze ritual vessels, this striking three-legged teapot was hand-crafted by Gu Jingzhou — one of the greatest Yixing masters of the 20th century — in 1983 as a personal demonstration piece. Legend has it he shaped it using a humble bamboo strip as a template, spinning the clay like a miniature lathe right at a Shanghai middle school while tending to his ailing wife. It's a rare glimpse into genius at work under the most human of circumstances.
The 三足鼎 (sān zú dǐng) form echoes China's iconic bronze 'ding' cauldrons from over 3,000 years ago — vessels once used in royal ceremonies and considered symbols of power and legitimacy. Gu Jingzhou reimagined this ancient shape in humble Yixing clay, turning history into something you can hold in your hands.
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Original Chinese Text 原文
神 此“三足史”系顾景舟在客居上海淮海中学为夫人治病期间 ,为周圣 希示范所作 。 据周圣希回忆 :“制作时他用一片竹片制成模板,在转盘上一边转动一 边刮泥 ，好像立式车床 ，……三只足用手掌搁成 ，挺括而柔顺，线条流畅 , 从比例 、弧度各方面来看,无一处有便直感 ， 特别身耳 、耳孔挖得干净利 1 周圣希著 :《我和顾景舟大师 》 载史俊党主编《紫砂研究(第二辑 )》 上海 : 上海古籍出版 社，2007年12月版, 第 169 页