Why did Qianlong favor two purple sand craftsmen, "a Stupid" and "a fool"?

During the Kang, Yong and Qian Dynasties of the Qing Dynasty, the national power was prosperous, and the development of Yixing Zisha entered an unprecedented period of prosperity. Among them, the preference of the emperor had a particularly prominent influence on the development of Yixing purple sand. During the three dynasties of the Qing Dynasty, Yixing purple sand was a tribute to the inner court, which was favored by emperors and court officials, and became a popular art work in the court for a while.

Not only that, the unique plastic art of Yixing purple sand ware also influenced the emperor's aesthetic taste. As a result, the shapes of many purple sand wares have even become the ancestors of official kiln porcelain.

Emperor Qianlong was particularly fond of the elegant and gentle purple sand, and the most prominent manifestation was his participation in the creation of the purple sand teapot. Several pieces of the Qianlong Emperor's poems and prose Zisha wares collected in the Palace Museum all show Emperor Qianlong's preference and aesthetic taste for Zisha teapots. Most of the pots made by Emperor Qianlong were decorated with mud paintings to express the interest of mountains and rivers, and were often supplemented by imperial poems.

Emperor Qianlong's royal purple sand craftsmen included "a stupid" and "a fool", who jointly custom-made purple sand wares for the royal family.

What kind of people are "a stupid" and "a fool"?

                                                   Benyan

Benyan, for it's nickname. The craftsmen used by the royal family in the Qing Dynasty, their mud pile painting skills were extremely superb, and they were appreciated by the royal family.

Many experts in the industry believe that it is Chen Hanwen, a famous master of the Qing Dynasty. Chen Hanwen, the younger brother of Chen Mingyuan, crafts tea pots, is good at laying sand, and does not let seniors be humble, and is known for his refined style.

                                           Bat pattern pine deer pot

In the 2013 Taodu Fengbao Island Love Purple Clay Special Exhibition in Taipei, there was a purple clay clay pot with pine, deer and bat pattern melon edge, and the base model was "Chen Hanwen".

                            Pile of mud painted melon edge pot

This is a pure-colored mud-painted melon-edge pot made by Benyan. It is elegant and unique. The body of the pot is in the shape of a begonia, full and wide.

The petal-shaped shapes of alternate sizes have a strong sense of layering and rhythm. The cover button is used as an old branch, and the cover is decorated with branches and leaves, which is full of interest.

The busbar of the mouth and lid is decorated with a circle of fringe patterns, which shows the nobleness of the court, and the curved flow of the circle is decorated with Ruyi, showing the cultural interest of traditional Chinese auspiciousness.

                  Plum and Bamboo Picture Poetry and Rib Pattern Pot

This pot is of Benyan type, with plum and bamboo patterns, poems, texts, and tendons. The neck of the pot is slightly higher, and the lip fits in with the lid. The shoulders are plentiful, the belly is round, and the belly is folded down. There are high circle feet at the bottom, and the soles of the feet are also around the lips, echoing the lid and mouth.

The pot flow is high and curved, the pot is like an ear, and the front and rear are balanced. The outer edge of the button, the flow, and the scorpion of the pot has three lines, standing upright like a ridge, as tough as a bone. From a distance, the whole device is tactful and soft, with a rounded outline. From a close view, it is rich in details and full of power. It is perfectly matched and set off against each other.

Comparing these three utensils, whether it is the shape of the utensils, the style of mud painting, the atmosphere of the times, etc., they are all highly consistent. Therefore, it is speculated that Benyan is Chen Hanwen, a famous master in the Qing Dynasty.

                                                   pot idiot

What a person likes is naturally pursued, and what’s more, he is addicted to it, and the pot idiot is infatuated with purple sand. No test.

But this person is likely to be Yang Lukang, a famous pot maker in the Qing Dynasty.

                                        Clay-painted round pot

This pot has a bulging belly and a bulging lid, flat bead buttons, a circle of mud pieces on the center and neck of the lid, and three friends of pine, bamboo and plum on the lid. The decoration of the ampulla is extremely delicate, with landscape figures on one side, and pavilions, pines and cypresses, ancient trees, and ancient trees are painted with natural mud.

One side is iron wire seal script. The technique of stacking and pasting is exquisite and vivid. The seal script on the back is made of thin clay strips. The poem says, "The Liuyi Spring is made by the imperial government. The stone is deep on the side of the lonely mountain. ." The pen is full of strength, the words are correct, and the skills are superb.

                          A black lacquer-painted gold ingot-type pot

This pot is in the shape of an ancient coin ingot, and the button of the pot is also in the ingot style. The whole body is painted with black lacquer depicting "Magpie Dengmei" and "Flying Butterflies". only.

This pot is made of Duan Bai mud and plain embryo firing, especially the black lacquer and gold decoration on the pot is in line with the royal court style.

                 Royal-made pot idiot section clay square pot

This pot is made of mud, with a square shape, a short neck and sloping shoulders, a straight belly, and a square flat lid with a square button on top. The body of the pot is painted with some poems inscribed on the mud, and is decorated with lotus leaves and lotus flowers; the cover is also painted with auspicious flower patterns on the mud at the four corners.

The bottom of the pot is stamped with the word "pot crazy" in seal script. From the verses on the body of the pot and the exquisite craftsmanship, it can be inferred that this vessel is an imperial vessel. It is a typical Qing palace decoration technique.

                                 Hot pot style printed pot

The body of the pot is square, the seal or the seal box inside the bag is well-defined, the shape is regular, the bag has natural folds, the square inlaid lid and the pot are tightly seamed, and the bag is knotted into a button, which is handled just right.

The rectangular handle and the square curved shape appear strong and powerful, which not only reflects the rigidity of the seal as a symbol of "power", but also reflects the softness of the burden.

                         Huchi purple clay four-edged square pot

Purple mud body quality, mud color firm. The shape of the vessel is dignified and steady, the proportions are coordinated, and the structure is rigorous, which is one of the classic shapes. The mud of this pot is chestnut-colored, pure and violet, and the body of the pot feels very good.

The body of the pot is made of delicate purple clay, the overall line and surface are clear, the decoration is exquisite, and it is completed in one go. The body of the pot is bright and plain, which is rare, and it is treasured by those who have obtained it.

Huchi and Benyan, the extraordinary and refined pot-making craftsmanship, is very in line with the taste of Emperor Qianlong, and it is because of this that we can see this batch of purple clay pots today.