In the thousand-year-old pottery capital of Yixing, when master potters meet virtuoso painters and calligraphers, the finest purple clay transforms into flowing strokes on paper, and countless legendary stories are forged in the blazing kiln. With the engagement of scholars and literati, the humble daily vessel of Yixing clay is elevated into a carrier of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving—imbued with the profound heritage of Chinese culture.

“Charm of Clay, Fragrance of Ink: A Special Exhibition of Masterpieces in Modern Chinese Painting and Yixing Teapots” brings together treasured works by twentieth-century masters of Chinese painting, including Zhang Daqian, Li Kuchan, Huang Yongyu, Tang Yun, Lu Yanshao, Fu Baoshi, Pan Tianshou, Wu Guanzhong, Lin Fengmian, Wu Hufan, Wu Zuoren, Liu Haisu, Bai Xueshi, Xie Zhiliu, Chen Peiqiu, and others. Complementing the paintings and calligraphy, the exhibition also showcases early collaborations between these masters and contemporary Yixing potters, where brush met clay on teapots. This unique fusion allows visitors not only to admire the artistic flair of the painters but also to glimpse a miniature universe within each vessel—a harmonious convergence of art, craft, and culture.