Master of Chinese Art
Jiangsu Provincial-Level Arts and Crafts Master
Member of Yixing City Purple Clay Industry Association
Hu Hongming was born in October 1959 in Dingshu Town, Yixing, Jiangsu Province. He holds a bachelor's degree. In 1978, he started his career in ceramic creation and design. In 1983, he pursued further studies at Tsinghua University (formerly Central Academy of Fine Arts, Ceramic Design Department), where he received guidance from renowned mentors such as Yang Yongshan, Zhang Shouzhi, and Wang Jianzhong. He apprenticed under the master of teapot art, Gu Jingzhou, and worked at Yixing Purple Clay Craft Factory.
He has a deep passion for purple clay art, dedicating himself to studying and exploring ceramic design theory. He fearlessly engages in creative practices and has spent 30 years tirelessly cultivating his skills and shaping high-quality purple clay art forms.
With extraordinary creative design ability, he seamlessly combines unique materials, shaping techniques, and cultural connotations in his purple clay teapots. His teapots exude artistic charm and ethnic elegance, whether they are round, waist-rounded, square, hexagonal, angled, or lotus-shaped. They are meticulously crafted with a rich and captivating appeal. The purple clay works incorporate profound cultural heritage in various aspects such as form, clay color, inscriptions, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, and seal carving. He also excels in the decorative arts of purple clay teapots, and his teapots embellished with gold and silver threads enjoy a high reputation both domestically and internationally, greatly favored by teapot enthusiasts and collectors. He is acclaimed as the "master of gold ornamentation" in contemporary times. In 2011, he was awarded the title of "Master of Chinese Art" by the Ministry of Culture and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.
Many of his works have been included in professional publications such as the "Chinese Purple Clay Pictorial." His works are highly appreciated by purple clay enthusiasts and collectors, and some pieces are collected by the Ziguangge at Zhongnanhai and numerous domestic and foreign museums. His achievements in purple clay art creation have been recorded in major publications such as the "Collection of Contemporary Chinese Ceramic Artists" and the "Chinese and Foreign Celebrity Dictionary" and the "Collection of Chinese Craft Art Masters." In 1988, he participated in the "China Yixing Ceramic Art Exhibition" held for the commemoration of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty.
He has also participated in numerous domestic and international ceramic art exchanges, including the China-Korea Art Exchange Exhibition. His works have won multiple national awards, and several of his articles have been published in provincial-level and higher-level journals. He has infused the ancient purple clay art culture with infinite vitality and made significant contributions to the development of purple clay art.
Awards for his works include:
- In 1983, the set of miniature tea utensils (Quan, Fozhu, Gangwen, Gua, and Stone Chrysanthemum) won the third prize in the province's Light Industry Science and Technology Achievement and New Product Evaluation.
- In 1986, "Openwork Ancient Coin" received an Excellent Award in the Jiangsu Province Tourism Souvenir Competition.
- In 1987, "Ancient Zun Ji Bottle" was collected and displayed at Ziguangge in Zhongnanhai.
- In 1989, "Sixteen Openwork Bamboo Bottles" won the second prize at the 2nd Jiangsu Province Light Industry Fine Arts and Design Exhibition.
- In 1990, "Silver-Inlaid Hundred Long
evity Hanging Plate" received the second prize at the Jingdezhen International Ceramic Fine Arts Competition.
- In 2000, "Jin Yu Teapot" won an Excellence Award in the selection of Chinese purple clay art masters and outstanding ceramic artists.
- In 2000, "Bamboo Plum Teapot" won an Excellence Award in the China Yixing International Ceramic Exhibition.
- In 2000, "Lion Dance Teapot" won a Silver Award in the China Yixing Purple Clay Art Exhibition.
- In 2002, "Divine Bird Teapot" was included in the China-Korea Ceramic Exchange Exhibition organized by the Korea Modern Ceramic Artists Association in July.
- In 2002, "Divine Bird Teapot" was featured in the "Contemporary Chinese Purple Clay Canon."
- In 2003, "Golden Pig Fortune Abundant" was selected as one of China's Top Ten Famous Teapots.
- In 2004, "Golden Pig Fortune Abundant" received the Jiangsu Provincial Craft Art Fine Collection Certificate.
- In 2004, "Blessing Teapot" won the Silver Award in the 2004 China Top Ten Ming Teapots.
- In 2005, "Blessing Teapot" was permanently collected by the China Yixing Ceramic Museum.
- In 2005, "Purple Light Teapot" received the Jiangsu Provincial Craft Art Fine Collection Certificate.
- In 2006, "Mother and Child Affection" won the Gold Award in the China Handicrafts Fine Exhibition "Huamao Cup."
- In 2006, "Mysterious Bamboo Teapot" won the Bronze Award in the 4th China Craft Art Fair "Zhongyi Cup."
- In 2007, "Purple Light Teapot" won the Gold Award in the China Craft Art "Zhongyi Cup."
- In 2007, "Divine Bird Teapot" won the Gold Award in the China Craft Art "Zhongyi Cup."
- In 2007, "Return of the Swallows" won the Gold Award in the China Craft Art "Zhongyi Cup."
- In 2008, "Three Friends Teapot" won the Gold Award in the China Craft Art "Zhongyi Cup."
- In 2009, "Blessing Teapot" received the Gold Award in the China Craft Art "Zhongyi Cup."
- In 2008, "Golden Pig Fortune Abundant Teapot" received the Gold Award in the "2008 China Handicrafts Fine Exhibition."
- In 2009, "Peach Melody Teapot" received the Gold Award in the "3rd National Cultural Souvenir Exhibition."
- In 2009, "Ringed Dragon Tripod" won the Gold Award in the 2009 China Top Ten Ming Teapots.
- In 2010, "All Things Renewed" won the Gold Award in the "8th National Craft, Tourism, and Gift Fair" "Zhongyi Cup" Excellent Work Competition.
- In 2010, "Withdrawing Square Teapot" won the Gold Award in the "8th China Craft Art Fair and Classical Furniture and Collectibles Exhibition" Excellent Work Competition.
- In 2011, "Chi Dragon Teapot" won the Gold Award in the "9th China Craft Art Fair and Classical Furniture and Collectibles Exhibition" Excellent Work Competition.
