The development of handicraft industry at that time was analyzed from the imitation of Yixing purple sand by Dutch potters in the 17th and 18th centuries.

　　brief introduction

　　The 17th-18th century was the eve of industrial revolution in europe, and handicraft industry was the main mode of production at that time. During this period, Dutch potters copied the purple sand pottery from Yixing, China, and brought it back to Europe, which became an important influence of European ceramic technology at that time.

　　The imitation of Yixing purple sand pottery by Dutch potters not only promoted the development of ceramic technology at that time, but also promoted the exchange and integration of Chinese and western cultures.

　　This paper will take the imitation of Yixing purple sand pottery by Dutch potters as the starting point, analyze the development of handicraft industry in the 17th-18th century, and discuss the enlightenment of Dutch potters to Yixing purple sand imitation. This study can deepen people's understanding of the development history of handicraft industry and provide reference for the development of modern handicraft industry.

　　First, the imitation of Yixing purple sand by Dutch potters

　　1. The history and characteristics of Yixing Zisha pottery.

　　Yixing Zisha pottery is a kind of traditional ceramics in China, which originated in the Tang Dynasty and reached its peak in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

　　Its main producing area is in Yixing City, Jiangsu Province. Because of the particularity of natural conditions such as soil, climate and minerals in Yixing City, the unique characteristics of Yixing Zisha pottery have been created. Yixing Zisha pottery is world-renowned for its unique artistic value and practical value.

　　Yixing purple sand pottery has the following characteristics:

　　(1) Raw materials: The raw materials of Yixing Zisha pottery are mainly produced from various kinds of clay such as river beach clay, purple clay and red clay around Yixing.

　　(2) Technology: The manufacturing technology of Yixing Zisha pottery includes kneading mud, slicing, molding, decorating and firing, among which firing is the most critical link. The firing temperature of Yixing Zisha pottery is relatively low, usually below 1000℃, which enables Yixing Zisha pottery to maintain its natural color and texture, and at the same time increases the permeability and toughness of Yixing Zisha pottery.

　　(3) Art: The artistic value of Yixing Zisha pottery lies in its beauty of modeling, craftsmanship and cultural connotation. Yixing Zisha pottery is not only famous for its pure and natural color and delicate and concise line beauty, but also known as "art in life" because of its characteristics of "changing with use" and "transparent and silent".

　　2. The imitation of Yixing purple sand by Dutch potters.

　　During the 17th and 18th centuries, the demand for goods from China in Europe increased sharply, among which ceramics was one of the most popular goods. At that time, the Netherlands, as an economic power in Europe, played an important role in promoting the import and imitation of China ceramics. The imitation of Yixing purple sand pottery by Dutch potters can be traced back to the early 17th century. The specific process is as follows:

　　(1) Data collection: Dutch potters have made a deep research and exploration on the manufacturing technology and characteristics of Yixing Zisha pottery through the materials such as Yixing Zisha pottery works, books and documents imported from China.

　　(2) Imitation: Dutch potters began to imitate Yixing Zisha pottery according to the collected data. Using local clay and firing technology, they gradually mastered the production skills of Yixing Zisha pottery, and constantly improved and innovated in the imitation process to meet the needs of the European market.

　　(3) Promotion and sales: Dutch potters successfully brought the imitation Yixing Zisha pottery back to Europe, and introduced the charm and characteristics of Yixing Zisha pottery to Europeans through exhibitions and sales, which became an important influence of European ceramic technology.

　　Second, the development of handicraft industry at that time

　　The 17th-18th century was the golden age of European handicraft industry, which was one of the most important modes of production at that time. During this period, the development of handicraft industry is mainly manifested in the following aspects:

　　1. During the imitation of Yixing purple sand by Dutch potters in 17th and 18th centuries, the division of labor system played an important role, which improved the production efficiency and ensured the quality and stability of the products.

　　Dutch potters adopted the following division of labor system in the imitation of Yixing purple sand:

　　(1) Purchasing raw materials: personnel responsible for purchasing raw materials such as clay, Shi Ying, sand and minerals. These raw materials are essential materials for making Yixing purple sand pottery, and the quality and variety of purchased raw materials directly affect the quality and stability of products.

　　(2) Making mud blank: the person who is responsible for mixing raw materials according to a certain proportion and kneading them into mud blank. It is necessary to pay attention to the proportion of raw materials and mixing time in the process of making mud blank to ensure the quality and stability of mud blank.

　　(3) Carving and trimming: the person responsible for carving and trimming the clay blank. These people need to have certain carving and trimming skills, be able to carve the clay blank into exquisite patterns and shapes, and carry out detailed trimming to make the product form more perfect.

　　(4) firing: the person responsible for firing the carved clay blank. It is necessary to master certain temperature and time control skills in the firing process to ensure the quality and stability of products. At the same time, subsequent processes such as cooling and polishing are needed.

　　(5) Packaging and sales: personnel responsible for packaging and selling finished products. These people need to have some experience in packaging and sales, and can package and sell according to market demand and customer demand, so as to improve the competitiveness and popularity of products.

　　In the imitation process of Yixing purple sand by Dutch potters, the division of labor system played a vital role. Each process is relatively independent, and the personnel in each process are responsible for their own work, thus achieving the purpose of improving production efficiency and quality. At the same time, this division of labor system also enabled Dutch potters to promote the imitation Yixing purple sand pottery to the European market and achieved great success.

　　2. Tool improvement: During the imitation of Yixing purple sand by Dutch potters in the 17th and 18th centuries, tool improvement was also a very important link. Dutch potters improved and innovated the original tools, greatly improved the production efficiency and product quality, and promoted the success of imitation.

　　Dutch potters made the following tool improvements during the imitation of Yixing purple sand:

　　(1) Improvement of pottery wheel: The pottery wheel is one of the important tools for pottery making. Dutch potters improved the pottery wheel to make it more suitable for making Yixing purple sand pottery. For example, they adjusted the rotation speed and direction of the pottery wheel to make the production process smoother and more accurate.

　　(2) Tool improvement: Carving is one of the important techniques in Yixing purple clay pottery making. Dutch potters improved the shape and size of the tool to meet different carving needs. For example, they used sharper blades to make the carving more precise and meticulous.

　　(3) Improvement of kiln: firing is an indispensable process for making Yixing purple sand pottery. Dutch potters improved the structure and temperature control system of kiln, making the firing process more stable and accurate. For example, they adopted more advanced temperature sensors and control systems, which made the temperature control more accurate and stable.

　　(4) Improvement of polishing tools: Polishing is one of the important techniques in Yixing purple sand pottery making. Dutch potters improved the shape and material of polishing tools to make polishing smoother and finer. For example, they used a softer polishing cloth to make the polishing smoother and more detailed.

　　By improving the tools, Dutch potters greatly improved the production efficiency and product quality, thus successfully copying Yixing purple sand pottery. At the same time, the improvement of these tools also provided beneficial experience and enlightenment for the later production of Yixing purple sand pottery.

　　3. Technological upgrading: Handicraft artisans continue to explore and study, improving their manufacturing skills and technological level. They have made important achievements in the fields of porcelain, glass and textile.

　　4. Market expansion: With the economic development and the increase of trade activities in European countries, the market demand for handicraft products is also expanding. This increase in market demand has further promoted the development of handicraft industry.

　　The development of handicraft industry in 17th-18th century was a period of continuous technological progress and expanding market demand. These developments have promoted the prosperity of handicraft industry and the development of European economy, and laid an important foundation for today's arts and crafts and industrial design.

　　Third, Dutch potters' inspiration to Yixing purple sand imitation.

　　1. Cross-cultural communication: Dutch potters successfully brought Chinese culture to Europe by studying and imitating Yixing Zisha pottery, and laid an important foundation for Europeans to know and understand China culture. This mode of cross-cultural communication is worth learning from. Through the communication and dialogue between different cultures, we can promote the pluralistic coexistence and exchange of cultures.

　　2. Technological innovation: In the process of imitating Yixing purple sand pottery, Dutch potters constantly improved and innovated to meet the needs of the European market. This way of thinking of technological innovation is worth learning. Constantly developing and innovating new technologies and processes to adapt to the changes in market demand can improve the competitiveness of products.

　　3. Marketing: Dutch potters successfully promoted the imitation Yixing Zisha pottery to the European market, and achieved great success through exhibitions and sales. This marketing strategy is worth learning. Through clever publicity and marketing, the popularity and market share of products can be improved.

　　4. Cultural inheritance: Yixing Zisha pottery is one of the traditional Chinese handicrafts. After hundreds of years of development and evolution, it has become a work of art with unique charm and value. The research and imitation of Yixing purple sand pottery by Dutch potters provides new ways and ideas for the inheritance and development of Chinese traditional handicrafts.

　　The imitation and popularization of Yixing purple sand pottery by Dutch potters provides us with rich enlightenment and experience, which can provide us with important reference in cross-cultural communication, technological innovation, marketing and cultural inheritance.

　　Fourth, the author's point of view

　　1. The Dutch potters' research and imitation of Yixing Zisha pottery is the embodiment of a successful cultural exchange and cross-cultural exchange. This cross-cultural communication model is worth learning and popularizing, which can promote the pluralistic coexistence and communication of cultures.

　　2. In the process of imitating Yixing purple sand pottery, Dutch potters constantly carry out technological innovation and improvement to meet the needs of the European market. This technological innovation way of thinking is worth learning and popularizing, which can improve the competitiveness of products and adapt to the changes in market demand.

　　3. Dutch potters successfully promoted the imitation Yixing Zisha pottery to the European market, and achieved great success through clever publicity and marketing. This marketing strategy is worth learning and popularizing, which can improve the popularity and market share of products.

　　Yixing Zisha pottery is one of the traditional Chinese handicrafts. After hundreds of years of development and evolution, it has become a work of art with unique charm and value. The research and imitation of Yixing Zisha pottery by Dutch potters provides new ways and ideas for the inheritance and development of Chinese traditional handicrafts, which is of great significance for the protection and inheritance of China traditional culture.

　　Dutch potters' research and imitation of Yixing purple sand pottery provides us with rich enlightenment and experience, which can provide us with important reference in cross-cultural communication, technological innovation, marketing and cultural inheritance. We should cherish this period of history, carry forward its excellent qualities and promote cultural exchange and inheritance.