Zhou Boqi (also known by his literary name Mushi Jushi 木石居士, or “Wood-Stone Recluse”) holds the titles of Senior Master of Arts and Crafts and Senior Master of Rural Revitalization Techniques.
Born in 1944 into a family of ceramic engravers in Shushan 蜀山, Yixing, he developed a deep love for calligraphy and painting from an early age. He graduated from the Suzhou Academy of Fine Arts and later completed undergraduate studies in industrial arts and design at the Beijing Institute of Geology. As a teenager, he apprenticed under two renowned masters, Ren Ganting 任淦庭 (a national master craftsman) and Zhuge Xun 诸葛勋, a Yixing ceramic engraving virtuoso, systematically acquiring a comprehensive command of various exquisite carving techniques.
In 1965, he began working in art and design in Suzhou, where his oil paintings, traditional Chinese paintings, and calligraphy were frequently selected for provincial and municipal exhibitions and received awards. In 2001, he returned to his hometown of Yixing to devote himself fully to ceramic engraving. Since then, he has also generously opened his studio to aspiring learners, imparting his skills without reservation.
From 2005 onward, he has been invited to serve as an instructor in calligraphy, painting, and ceramic engraving at the Jiangsu Provincial Ceramic Art Training Base, as a mentor for the Yixing Calligraphy, Painting and Ceramic Engraving Workshop, and as a lecturer for the Advanced Research Class in Humanities and Ceramic Art at Tsinghua University.
Zhou’s engraving techniques encompass both intaglio and relief carving, swift reverse‑stroke cutting, shallow and deep sculpting, and deliberate slow carving. He skillfully integrates methods such as double‑knife straight entry, single‑knife oblique entry, astringent‑knife, delayed‑knife, and light‑knife approaches. Often, after brief contemplation, he carves directly onto the clay without prior tracing, while also tailoring his designs to the specific form and character of each teapot, thus producing works that are both unconventional and uniquely styled. His comprehensive mastery and dual proficiency in painting and carving have earned high acclaim from the industry, collectors, and critics alike. He is widely regarded as a leading contemporary purple‑sand (zisha) engraving artist, and his works are highly prized by connoisseurs both at home and abroad.
Reflecting on his mentor, Zhou once recalled:
“When I moved into my new home this year, I deliberately placed on my desk, where I often do calligraphy, painting, and carving—an old black‑and‑white photograph. It shows a dozen or so vibrant young people gathered around a lean elderly man, with the inscription ‘Commemorative photo of Xiaosong’s military service, December 1963.’ Those faded, fragmented memories still linger before my eyes. Today, I deeply cherish the memory of my teacher, Mr. Ren Ganting, in that photograph—not only for his rigorous artistic style, diligent work ethic, and classic works, but more for the touches of emotion and insight he left me through his conduct and character.”
written by siyutao art team
