Ink among the four treasures of the study was called "gold cannot be exchanged" by the ancients.
The "Mo Jing" in the "Yuan Jian Lei Han" of the Qing Dynasty records: "If you use ink every day, it will be reduced by half when you are one year old. If you do this, it will not be replaced by ten thousand gold."
Good ink ingots are like good horses and are the right-hand man of the literati. Ink plays an indispensable role among the "Four Treasures of the Study". The ancients used "gold cannot be exchanged" to describe the reputation of ink, which shows its high value. In recent years, Qianlong's imperial ink paintings have fetched sky-high prices at auctions, once again proving the preciousness of ink. The reason why ink is expensive is that its production process is complex and exquisite. Ink is a black pigment made by hand using oil smoke, pine smoke, etc. as raw materials.
Extended information:
The four treasures of the study are unique Chinese calligraphy and painting tools (calligraphy and painting utensils), namely pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. The name "Four Treasures of the Study" originated from the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Historically, the objects referred to by the "Four Treasures of the Study" have changed frequently.
In the Southern Tang Dynasty, the "Four Treasures of the Study" specifically referred to Anhui Xuancheng Zhuge brush, Anhui Huizhou Li Tinggui ink, Anhui Huizhou Chengxintang paper, and Anhui Huizhou Wuyuan dragon tail inkstone.
Since the Song Dynasty, the "Four Treasures of the Study" have specifically referred to Xuan brush (Xuancheng, Anhui), Hui ink (She County, Huizhou, Anhui), Xuan paper (Jingxian, Xuancheng, Anhui), She inkstone (She County, Huizhou, Anhui), Tao Inkstone (Zhuoni County, Gansu Province), Duan Inkstone (Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, known as Duanzhou in ancient times).
After the Yuan Dynasty, Hubi (Huzhou, Zhejiang) gradually flourished, while Xuanbi gradually declined. After the reform and opening up, Xuanbi gradually regained its vitality.
Most of the Four Treasures of the Study collected by the Palace Museum were made by famous masters of the Qing Dynasty and used by the royal family. Their exquisite materials and exquisite craftsmanship represent the development level of my country’s study utensils over thousands of years and the creative wisdom and creativity of skilled craftsmen. Artistic talent is a treasure among stationery tools.
The "Four Treasures of the Study" are not only stationery items with strong practical value, but also works of art that integrate painting, calligraphy, sculpture, decoration, etc. In 2007, the Institute of History of Science and Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Four Treasures Association declared pen, ink, paper and inkstone as world-class "intangible cultural heritage" to UNESCO.
Brush, ink, paper, and inkstone all have their own uses and specialties. The so-called "famous inkstone and clear water, ancient ink and newly issued Madan paper, a commonly used pen, and old paper", Together they are a complete set, and then our words are written, and the synthesis becomes our unique traditional calligraphy art. It is not only appreciated by ourselves, but also increasingly attracted and cherished by people all over the world. Brush inkstone: Also known as pen inkstone, it is used to check the shade of ink or straighten out the brush strokes. It is often made into a leaf-like shape.