Li Changhong

21 giugno 2025

Li Changhong

Master of Chinese Arts and Crafts (2006, 5th Edition)
Master of Chinese Ceramic Art (2003, 1st Edition)
Senior Industrial Art Designer
Member of Jiangsu Artists Association
Advisor of Jiangsu Ceramic Art Committee
Researcher of Chinese Zisha Culture, China Culture Management Society
Lifetime Achievement Award in Chinese Arts and Crafts

Born in 1937 in Dingshu Town, Yixing, Jiangsu, Li Changhong entered the Yixing Zisha Pottery Factory in 1955, where he apprenticed under the renowned master Gu Jingzhou. Graduating in 1958, he later served as a technical instructor, workshop director, technical department head, deputy factory director in charge of production, and chief art designer. In 1993, with approval and support from the Wuxi Light Industry Bureau, Yixing Pottery Company, and the Zisha Factory, he established a joint venture dedicated to preserving and nurturing Zisha craftsmanship. With over six decades in the field, he remains deeply committed to advancing Zisha art.

His works emphasize cultural themes and the artistic essence of Zisha pottery. Collaborating with his wife, he created the "Bamboo Slip Tea Set," which won the gold medal at the 1984 Leipzig International Fair in Germany. Their subsequent collaborative pieces—such as "Five Dynasties Cultural Series," "Grace and Elegance," "Three Stars Lift-Pot," "Five Elements Series," "Yiheng Tea Set," "Celadon Square Tea Set," "Thinking of the Source Tea Set," "Lion-Elephant Jade Tripod," and "Nine Dragons Series"—have earned numerous national and provincial gold and silver awards, with many now housed in prestigious museums.

Together with his wife, Li has co-authored several influential books on Zisha culture, including "Cultivating Zisha Art," "Notes from the Zisha Garden," "A Potter’s Perspective on Zisha," and "The Zisha Cultivator." He also contributed to "Yixing Zisha Treasures," a collaborative work with his mentor Gu Jingzhou and fellow apprentices. Additionally, he participated in compiling "The Complete Collection of Chinese Traditional Crafts: Ceramics & Zisha" for the Chinese Academy of Sciences and contributed to Professor Wu Shan’s "Zisha Dictionary."

To commemorate the centennial of his mentor’s birth, Li and his wife co-authored "Timeless Legacy, Everlasting Honor." He also collaborated on "The Artistic Journey of Yang Jianhou" in honor of his painting professor, earning praise from Liao Jingwen, who later invited him to create the "Twelve Zodiac Teapots" in memory of Xu Beihong. These works are now preserved in the Xu Beihong Memorial Museum in Beijing.

Notable Works: