Establishing a Visual Design Framework in the Educational Inheritance of Yixing Zisha Teapots

As a critical traditional element in Chinese ceramic art design, the Yixing Zisha teapot, recognized as part of China's intangible cultural heritage, enjoys popularity not only for the unique functional advantages of its material but also for its aesthetic and whimsical form. However, the knowledge and theories regarding the form design of Yixing Zisha teapots have yet to be systematically explored, leading to difficulties in describing and interpreting their form characteristics, thereby affecting their development pace. In this qualitative study, through visual analysis methods, the design characteristics of Yixing Zisha teapots are explored from the perspective of intangible culture. The study aims to reveal the main contents and profound meanings of traditional Yixing Zisha teapot design by selecting ten historically renowned teapots recognized by the Chinese government as research subjects. The research found that the formal design characteristics of Yixing Zisha teapots can be summarized as five types of form features: a horizontal solid line, a vertical dotted line, and six movable endpoints. The study also explored a framework suitable for the design of Yixing Zisha teapots and discussed the practicality of this framework, providing guidance for design practitioners for future design practices.