Usually, when we talk about "Four Treasures of the Study", we blurt out "pen, ink, paper and inkstone", and inkstone ranks last here, but it doesn't seem to affect the status of inkstone as one of the Four Treasures of the Study in calligraphy and collection.
inkstone is an essential tool for Chinese brush calligraphy. Because of its solid nature, it is immortal and has been regarded as a rare collection by scholars in past dynasties. In addition to the end stone, stone, Taohe stone, mud stone, red stone, rocky stone and chrysanthemum stone, there are dozens of kinds of inkstones, such as jade inkstones, jade miscellaneous inkstones, tile inkstones, lacquer sand inkstones, iron inkstones and porcelain inkstones.
inkstones are produced in many places in China, but since the Tang Dynasty, Duanxi inkstone in Guangdong, Shexian inkstone in Anhui, Taoyan inkstone in southern Gansu and Chengni inkstone (belonging to pottery) in Luoyang, Henan have been called "four famous inkstones" together, but the top ten inkstones recognized by China calligraphy circles are:
1. Duanyan is characterized by its delicate and tender stone, which can be polished in one breath. The natural patterns of the end stone constitute the "stone products" of the end stone, such as banana leaf white, fish brain jelly, azure, fire, pig liver jelly, gold star point, ice pattern, stone eye and so on.
The production technology of Duanyan is very exquisite, and it is famous for its quaint, simple, exquisite and natural features. It has the reputation of "the first inkstone in the world", "the first inkstone in the world" and "the treasure among treasures in Four Treasures of the Study". Because it is "light in weight, rigid and soft in quality, and lonely to the touch", it has been favored by scholars since it came out in the Tang Dynasty. Coupled with the beautiful texture, various names, more and more complicated processing skills, and higher and higher status, it rose to the top of China's stone inkstone.
2. Jiangxi Sheyan: It began in the Tang Dynasty and was produced in ancient Shezhou (now Wuyuan, Jiangxi, Shexian, yi county, Xiuning and other places in Anhui). The Longwei inkstone in Wuyuan is the best, and its material is taken from the stream in Longwei Mountain, Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, so it is also called Longwei inkstone. The inkstone is tough, moist and dense, with beautiful texture. It can be caressed like a muscle, sharpened with a sharp edge, astringent with water to leave a pen, slippery without rejecting ink, and the ink is small and easy to dry, and the polyester is clean. When knocking, there is a clear metal sound, water storage is not consumed, it is cold and ice-free, the breath can be studied, the ink is like oil, it does not hurt, the carving is fine, and it is simple and generous. Since the Tang Dynasty, it has maintained its status as a famous inkstone.
3. Shanxi Tao inkstone: Shanxi Chengni inkstone, produced in Xinjiang County, Shanxi Province (known as Jiangzhou in ancient times), is one of the four famous inkstones in the history of China, with the same name as Duanwei and Taoyan. Chengni inkstone has different colors due to different sources of raw materials and firing time, with "cinnabar red, eel yellow, crab shell green, bean green sand and sandalwood purple as the superior colors, especially cinnabar red and eel yellow. Chengni inkstone doesn't use colored glaze, adopts scientific and careful raw material formula, careful drug fumigation and special furnace fire tempering, which makes it naturally kiln-changed, and the Chengni inkstone in the same kiln becomes magical and has different colors.
The clear mud inkstone is made by processing and firing fine mud as raw materials. Therefore, the texture of the inkstone is delicate, just like baby's skin, and it has the characteristics of storing water without drying up, enduring cold without freezing, sending ink without damaging hair, and nourishing and winning water. Hard and wear-resistant, it looks like a jade, caresses a child's muscles, stores ink without drying up, accumulates ink without rotting, is cold and ice-free, breathes can be studied, does not hurt pens, and does not damage the hair. It is highly praised by emperors and literati in past dynasties, and is a tribute in Tang and Song Dynasties. Jiangzhou Chengni inkstone was founded in the Tang Dynasty, but unfortunately its production technology was lost in the Qing Dynasty.
4. Taohe inkstone in Gansu Province: also known as Taohe inkstone, its material is taken from the deep water of Taohe River in Zhuoni, Gansu Province, and the source of Taohe River originated in Taozhou in ancient times, hence the name Taohe inkstone, which is called Taohe inkstone for short. The stone is greasy, the color is fine and beautiful, the ink is made quickly and the ink is stored for a long time. Taohe stone can be divided into two types: Green Taohe stone and Red Taohe stone. Green Taohe stone is famous stone such as "Duck Head Green, Ying Ge Green", which is silky, beautiful and attractive. Hongtao stone is earthy red, pure and fine in color, which is quite rare. Taohe inkstone is rarely handed down from generation to generation.
5. Shandong Luyan inkstone: inkstone made of various inkstones produced in Shandong Province, and Shandong Hongsi inkstone is the representative of Luyan inkstone, which is characterized by its tender texture, no ink, gorgeous color and colorful appearance. Yanshi Lu has its own characteristics in quality, color, grain color and natural shape. Including red silk stone, purple stone, Nishan stone, as well as Xu Gongshi, Fulaishi and other more than ten varieties. These inkstones have the characteristics of deep and tender, firm but not stubborn, greasy but not slippery, and inking without loss.
In addition, Zichuan and Boshan in Zibo City, Shandong Province also produce a kind of Zishi inkstone, also known as Jinxing inkstone, which has a history of thousands of years. Zishi has dozens of categories such as green, yellow and purple. The green ones are lotus leaf green, bamboo pole green, lettuce green and dark green; The purple ones are Jiashanhong, Ziyun, Zihong, etc. The yellow ones are purple yellow, orange yellow, bunchy yellow and so on. In addition, there are varieties such as ochre, colorful and blue. Pearl spots, emerald spots, frozen lines, Jin Yinxing, color halos and the like of Zishi inkstone often appear on the inkstone surface.
6. Sichuan Suokuinkstone: among the cliffs in Pingdi Town and Dalongtan Township, Renhe District, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province, this place was called "Suokuinkstone" in ancient times, so it was called Suokuinkstone. The carving of Suoque inkstone integrates shallow floating, hollowing out, round carving, deep carving, thin meaning and reduced land carving, forming a rich and diverse style. There are nearly 1 kinds of stone products, such as stone eye, blue and white, Venus, ice pattern, green fat, yellow fat, fire, eyebrow, gold thread, fish brain jelly, banana leaf white, temple front green, jade belt, purple sand, chicken blood, etc., among which, the stone eye is famous in the inkstone world for its emerald overflow, like pearls. Suoque inkstone is colorful, colorful, naturally beautiful and unique in the world. Jintianhuang, which has the reputation of being extremely crystal, has a golden color; White as clear snow outside, red as cinnabar-sealed snow red inside, with natural charm; Like the first dew of coagulated fat, the tender and pleasant blue cloud is frozen, like a blue cloud floating, rich and rich; Natural green radish jade, such as green valley, blue waves and jade, is like green radish spreading. The stone of Suoque inkstone is exquisite, and the ink is oily and non-corrosive. It is wearable and beneficial, and the breath can be studied. It has the sound of gold and jade, and it is as delicate as baby's skin.
7. He Lanyan, Ningxia: It is produced in Bijia Mountain at the foot of Helan Mountain in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. There are two natural colors of inkstone: dark purple and light green. The main color of inkstone is purple, and green is used for ornament. The inkstone with stone eyes, jade belt, silver money, eyebrows and moire is even more valuable. This inkstone has fine texture, fine ink, no leakage, no smell, and no damage to the pen.
8. Guizhou Sizhou inkstone: The inkstone comes from Xingtaitan, Cengong County, Guizhou Province. The inkstone is firm and moist, with fine ink, which can be used all day long. If there is no water, the liquid can emerge from the inkstone and can be used for writing. The stone is as firm and moist as jade, showing a dark color, and has the advantages of "unique water stone, rough jade, clouds and dew, and cherishing ink and pens". The production of Sizhou inkstone is mainly in relief, and its shape is simple and heavy.
9. Jilin Songhua imperial inkstone: produced in Changbai Mountain area in northeast China, it has four colors: purplish red, purple and green, dark green and light green, with yellow and brushed silk stripes in between, with dark green brushed silk as the top grade. The stone is solid and inky, and its hardness is higher than that of the end stone and the stone. After grinding, it is washed with water without leaving any traces.
1. Yishui guyan, Hebei Province: A traditional inkstone in Hebei Province, produced in Yizhou (now Yixian), also known as Yi inkstone. Stone is taken from Zhong Nanshan, Yixian County, Hebei Province. The inkstone is soft in color, purple water rock, and the stone surface is often dotted with green, yellowish or gray markings. Ink stone is delicate and smooth, rigid and soft, easy to send ink, long-term storage of ink, not stagnant ink. The most famous carvings are tortoise inkstone, dragon inkstone, Qin inkstone, beast inkstone and chess inkstone.
—— Excerpted from
Ten Famous Inks in China (with the types, prices, identification methods and maintenance knowledge of inkstones)
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