Mark sources cited
陽羨茗壺 · mark readings
Look closely at the third character: this mark reads 陽羨茗壺, with 茗, the word for tea. It differs from the separately documented 陽羨名壺 mark with 名.
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Start with the reading
陽羨茗壺
陽羨 is Yangxian, a historic name associated with Yixing; 茗壺 means a teapot. The catalogue places this four-character stamp on the base. Its separate mark illustration supplies the reading, while the caption supplies the location; the pot is shown from the side.
A documented vessel
Palace Museum catalogue no. 81 records a late-Qing pot from the former Qing court collection. Its body bears 数片含黄 and 少林刻; another face has floral decoration. The phrase 少林刻 says “carved by Shaolin” and belongs to the body inscription, not the base seal.
How far the evidence goes
Preserve the distinction between 茗 and 名 when comparing examples. The base phrase does not name an individual maker. The body signature assigns a carving role but does not identify Shaolin fully or prove who formed the vessel. These two inscriptions answer different questions. [1]
Sources and exact locations
- 故宫博物院编，王健华主编，《你应该知道的200件宜兴紫砂》，紫禁城出版社，2007. ISBN 978-7-80047-648-8. № 81 · 122 (PDF 125)