刘传，原名刘永传。1916年1月16日出生于广东佛山石湾镇。生前为中国美术家协会理事、中国工艺美术学会理事、广东省工艺美术学会顾问、佛山市文联副主席，荣获中国工艺美术大师称号刘传先祖迁居石湾时，恰逢石湾陶业全盛时期，祖辈父辈皆以制陶维持生计。
刘传自幼体质孱弱，10岁时，父母节衣缩食送他进私塾读书，但刘传对"之乎者也"兴味索然，转学三家私塾，所得甚微，却迷恋于听讲古、看粤剧、读公仔书，受到民间艺术耳濡目染的熏陶，12岁开始学习陶塑。
1928年，因家境困窘，刘传入古玩行当学徒，后人陈奇记当长工，在备受煎熬的艰辛劳作中，刘传摄习了炼泥、配土、烧釉等整套的石湾陶瓷工艺技术，并以"窥师习艺"的方法，学习前辈名家潘玉书，钻研各名家的作品，且敢于创新、勇于拓展，初具粗犷、豪放的艺术雏形，塑造了"张飞"等成名作，在石湾艺坛崭露头角，是年二十挂零。刘传以自强不息的精神，饱含爱国主义深情，创作了一批富有高度民族性的传世杰作。如“铁拐李”、“钟馗”、“达摩”、“水浒”人物等。这些作品以炉火纯青的技艺，表现了除暴安良、扶正却邪的民族精神，其思想性和艺术性的高度统一，使不到而立之处的刘传成为石湾陶艺公认的一派宗师。
青年时期已享负盛名，其作品曾在英国伦敦博览会上获得好评。抗日战争后，刘传的艺术生命步步迈向辉煌期。他度过了商业化的洋庄公仔危机，刻意创新，使其作品不仅在国内，而且在港澳专区和东南亚以至美、英、日诸国渐享盛誉。“芭蕉罗汉”、“观音像”和“受苦受难的耶稣”等代表作蜚声海外。
20世纪60年代刘传归纳总结出富有创见的陶艺理论，提出了“宜起不宜止，宜藏不露”、“十浊一清，十清一浊”、“奇而不怪，丑而不陋”等美学原则。刘传大师于2001年逝世。
刘传的陶艺佳作逾以千记，其中不少被海内外有影响的博物馆和知名鉴赏家收藏。他的作品曾在《人民日报》、《人民画报》、《美术》、《连环画报》等刊载介绍，且参与国家对外文化交流，饮誉海内外。刘传脍炙人口的佳作很多，有李白醉酒、东坡赏观、关羽、屈原以及瘦骨仙等都是民间广为传颂的佳作。30年代他的李铁拐、瘦骨仙、芭蕉罗汉等就被选送到伦敦的世界博览会，并获得很高的评价。
1979年刘传在全国工艺美术创造设计人员代表大会上被授予国家第一批“中国工艺美术大师”的荣誉称号。1983年和1985年，刘传在澳门分别举办了个人的作品展。1992年，佛山市为推动石湾陶艺的发展，结合刘传从艺63周年举办了“刘传陶塑艺术研讨会”，当时省、市的文化界人士有160多人参加了研讨活动。刘传在陶塑艺术方面的突出贡献使他获得了荣誉，曾任省人大代表、省政协委员、中国美术家协会理事、佛山美术家协会主席。
刘传丰富的创作经验，直接引导着新一代陶塑艺人的进步。受其影响较大的庄稼、刘泽棉、廖洪标、黄松坚等，后来都成为艺术成就卓著、各领风骚的一代又一代的陶艺大师。
刘传的儿子刘桂炳、刘桂标、刘桂乐、刘桂芳以及女儿刘月娥等也是他的艺徒，如今都分别自立门户，为弘扬石湾传统陶艺大力开拓，为陶塑艺坛不断增辉。为艺术奋斗了大半个世纪的中国工艺美术大师刘传走了，但他的陶艺永存。佛山市文联名誉主席任流为他写的挽联是：“铮铮铁骨，历尽世间风雨；桑桑丹心，永镌陶艺史诗。”

Liu Chuan, original name Liu always is passed. Was born in town of bay of Guangdong Fosan stone on January 16, 1916. It is arts and crafts of director of Chinese artist association, China to learn director, Guangdong to save arts and crafts to learn vice-chairman of couplet of article of city of advisory, Fosan before one's death, when having the honor to win Liu of title of Great Master of Chinese arts and crafts to pass Xian Zuqian to reside Shi Wan, just meet stone bay Tao Yequan fills period, ancestors father generation all maintains bread with making a surname.
Liu passes delicate in health of constitution of from a child, when 10 years old, parental live frugally sends him to read into private school, but Liu Chuan is uninterested to " of " pedantic terms, transfer private school of 3 family property, gain is very small, be infatuated with however at attend a lecture ancient, watch Guangdong opera, read fair young book, get the edification of folk art be influenced by what one constantly sees and hears, 12 years old begin to learn contented model.
1928, because of family circumstances embarrassment, liu Chuan enters antique profession apprentice, later generations Chen Ji is written down when long-term hired hand, in sufferring sufferring hardships to work fully, liu Chuan photographs be used to refine mud, match the earth, Shi Wan that burns a complete set of such as glair engineering technology of pottery and porcelain, peep division to learn a skill with " the method of " , study book of jade of Pan of elder a person of academic or artistic distinction, study the work of each a person of academic or artistic distinction, and dare to innovate, be brave in to extend, the artistic embryonic form of straightforward, bold and unconstrained is provided first, modelled " of " Zhang Fei to wait for master, in Shi Wan art altar cuts a figure, it is year of 20 odd. Liu expresses the spirit with constantly strive to become stronger, full of patriotism is affectionate, wrote the masterpiece of be handed down from ancient times of nationality of a batch of rich height. Be like " iron abduct plum " , " Zhong Kui " , " amount to rub " , " Shui Hu " the character. These work the craft with high degree of professional proficiency, behaved except Bao Anliang, help up however the ethos of unhealthy environmental influences that cause disease, the height of its ideological content and artistic quality is unified, the Liu Chuancheng of the office that make be less than and establishs is Shi Wan Tao Yi's accepted one clique masters of great learning and integrity.
Young period already enjoyed negative great reputation, its work ever was obtained on British London exposition reputably. After the War of Resistance Against Japan, artistic life of Liu Chuan is marched toward step by step brilliant period. He spent crisis of commercialized foreign Zhuang Gongzi, innovate painstakingly, make its work is in not only home, and in zone of HongKong and Macow and beauty of southeast Asia down to, flower, day Zhu Guojian enjoys high reputation. "Banana arhat " , " avalokitesvara resembles " and " the Jesus that live in misery " wait for masterpiece become famous is abroad.
60 time Liu passes 20 centuries the Tao Yi that Baconian summary gives rich creative idea is academic, put forward " should not be since appropriate stop, appropriate Tibet is not shown " , " 10 chaotic one Qing Dynasty, 10 Qing Dynasty one chaotic " , " strange and not strange, ugly and not humble " wait for aesthetic principle. Liuchuan's Great Master died 2001.
Liu Chuan's Tao Yijia makes even more with 1000 write down, among them many by global influential museum and famous connoisseur are collected. His work ever was in " People's Daily " , " people pictorial " , " art " , " serial pictorial " etc publish the introduction, and communication of the culture outside participating in a country to be opposite, drink praise global. An excellent work of Liu Chuan win universal praise is very much, have Li Bai drunk wine, east slope admires view, Guan Yu, Qu Yuan and thin bone celestial being to wait is folk wide for eulogized an excellent work. 30 years are his Li Tie abduct, lean bone celestial being, banana the arhat world exposition that is chosen to send London, obtain very high opinion.
Liu Chuan designed personnel congress to get on the first batch to be granted a state in creation of countrywide arts and crafts 1979 " Great Master of Chinese arts and crafts " honorary title. Mixed 1983 1985, liu Chuan held the individual's work to exhibit respectively in Macao. 1992, fosan city is the development that promotes stone bay Tao Yi, combinative Liu is passed from art 63 years are held " artistic seminar of Liu Chuantao model " , the cultural circles personage of province, city had 160 much people to enter delibrate activity at that time. Liu is passed in the outstanding contribution of respect of Tao Suyi art to make he obtained honor, chairman of association of artist of director of association of artist of committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of delegate of National People's Congress of Ceng Ren province, province, China, Fosan.
Liu passes rich creation experience, guiding the progress of actor of model of new generation contented directly. Suffer its to affect bigger crop, Liu Ze cotton, deserted Hong Biao, yellow Song Jian, become artistic success later distinguished, each get coquettish generation the Tao Yi's Great Master of another generation.
Son Liu Guibing of Liu Chuan, Liu Guibiao, Liu Guile, Liu Guifang and daughter Liu Yuee also is his art apprentice, part nowadays housekeep, to promote Shi Wan traditional Tao Yi is developed energetically, for Tao Suyi altar is added ceaselessly brightness. Struggled for art largely the Liu Chuan of Great Master of Chinese arts and crafts of the century went, but his Tao Yi perpetuation. Honorary president holds the post of couplet of Fosan city article the elegiac couplet that flows to write for him is: "Clank iron bone, have gone through worldly harships; Mulberry mulberry a loyal heart, always engrave Tao Yi is epic. Always engrave Tao Yi is epic..