Artist Gu Shaopei (C) introduces his purple clay work to the former vice director of the Ministry of Culture, Wang Wenzhang (R) and the visitors at the opening ceremony of his solo exhibition at Yixing Museum on May 28. [Photo by Ding Huanxin/IC]

Artist Gu Shaopei opened his solo exhibition celebrating 60 years history of making purple clay art works at Yixing Museum on May 28.

Sponsored by the publicity department of Yixing and Yixing Ceramics Industrial Association, the 80-day exhibition displays over 160 purple clay art works made by Gu Shaopei and his daughter's family, including vases, flowerpots and teapots.

Born into a well-known family of purple clay in Yixing, Gu started learning the traditional skill in his teens and devoted his life to the art.

Gu won the first international prize for Yixing purple clay in 1984 when he brought the work "Bai Shou Ping" to the Spring Fair of Leipzig, the oldest fair held in Germany.

The purple clay teapot named Yang Yu Ti Liang Hu, helps Gu Shaopei to win the honor of the master of Chinese arts and crafts in 2006. [Photo by Ding Huanxin/IC]

In 2006, Gu Shaopei was honored as a master of Chinese arts and crafts. His superb ceramic making skills helped him secure a place in the country's intangible cultural inheritor list in 2008.

During the opening ceremony, Gu donated six of his exquisite purple clay works to Yixing Museum and 600,000 yuan ($93,500) to repair Shushan Gunan Street, one of the cultural relic conservation sites in Yixing.

The huge purple clay teapot named Gong Chun amazes visitors. [Photo by Ding Huanxin/IC]

A visitor takes photos of the purple clay art work of Gu Shaopei featuring bamboos. [Photo by Ding Huanxin/IC]

Gu Shaopei donates 600,000 yuan ($93,500) to repair Shushan Gunan Street, one of the cultural relic conservation sites in Yixing at the opening ceremony of his solo exhibition at Yixing Museum on May 28. [Photo by Ding Huanxin/IC]