Number One Yixing Factory

Number One Yixing Factory is currently the oldest teapot factory in China.^[1] Here "factory" is not used in the western sense, it refers to what might better be described as a collective of artists working under one roof with shared training and standards for their work.

In 1918 the Jiangsu Provincial Ceramics Factory was established for the production of [zisha, by 1932 there were more than 600 crafts people in Yixing. But, war and the Japanese invasion would change all of that. The artists were scattered and many died. With the help of the new People's Republic of China government industry began to revive.^[2] In 1954 the zisha production group of the Shushan workshop, consisting of 59 potters, was set up funded by the Tangdu Pottery cooperative^[3], then in October 1958 Number One Yixing Factory was established by the goverrnment. Before October 1958^[4], there was no proper organization ranking all of the craftsmen working in Yixing and everyone would mine, mix and cure their own zisha clay. At this point the government stepped in and formed Yixing Zisha Factory No. 1. Because it was the only recognized factory for a long period of time, the pots made in this factory became prized by collectors. The craftsmen in the factory were organized and ranked according to a set standard. New craftsmen were required to take courses and exams to advance and be recognized. It takes about three years of training to advance through the following tittles: asst. master craftsman, master craftsman, senior master craftsman and finally national master craftsman. At every stage there was an examination.^[4] Initially the teapots were very creative and diverse and the artists gained national and international recognition. But, this would change with the Cultural Revolution a movement which frowned on bourgeois luxuries such as artisan crafted teapots that costed far more than any common person could afford.

Starting in 1966, because of the Cultural Revolution^[1] , factory no. 1 began to turn out plain utilitarian pot in a style known as shui ping hu in vast numbers. Instead of having the name of the master who made the pot on the bottom these pots have only characters that represent the location of manufacture: Yixing, China.^[5] During this time the walls of the factory were filled with slogans painted in red that insisted that art was for the people not for self aggrandizement. According to Barbara Oakley, the quality of these pots was much worse than before the revolution.^[1] Despite this many tea connoisseurs prize these pots for their simplicity and high quality clay.

With the end of the Cultural Revolution New Ranks for crafttsmen were subsequently introduced in the 1970s, which consist of the following^[4]: 1) Technician (Xing-siu) 2) Craftsman (Ji-su-yuan or Gong-yi-mei-su-yuan) 3) Craftsman (Ming-jian-yi-ren) – independent porters 4) Asst. Master craftsman (Zu-li-gong-yi-si) 5) Master craftsman (Gong-yi-si) 6) Snr Master craftsman (Gao-gi-gong-yi-si) 7) Provincial Grandmaster 8) Grandmaster craftsman

Today the pots produced by the factory are diverse and highly creative. Masters have resumed signing their work. The work is in high demand. Today master craftsman can keep customers waiting for up to two years for a commissioned pot.^[3]

Famous Number One Yixing Factory Artists

Jiang Rong was a Grand Master Craftsman at Factory 1, she created teapots that emulated nature.^[4] Ren Ganting (1889-1968) ambidextrous artist who created natural forms. He participated in the National Labor Heroes Convention. ^[2] Pei Shimin (1892-1979) started making teapots at age 14.^[2] Zhu Kexin (1904-1986) He began making teapots before the war, and worked in the Jiangsu factory as a youth. He has received many honors. ^[2]

Yixing Zisha Factory (No. 2) was formed in 1984 by brothers, Xu Siew Tang and Xu Han Tang, both master craftsmen at factory No. 1. They managed to lured some craftsmen from Factory 1 to join them. Subsequent ranking of their craftsmen were self appointed and therefore not recognized by the central government.

http://www.ateatime.com/how-to-authenticate-old-yixing-teapots-1/ http://www.ateatime.com/yixing-zisha-factory/

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