"Is it better to grind ink or use ink to learn calligraphy?" No less than ten book friends have asked me this question. To be honest, if I want to save trouble, I will definitely side with using ink. If we talk about the ritual feeling of writing or making ink richer in variety or easier to use, I am definitely on the side of using an inkstone to grind ink.
I will combine it with the articles of classical teachers below. Please share with us which one is better, using ink or grinding ink.
The following are the original words of the classical teacher:
The answer is clear: grinding ink is good!
But it is not easy to explain clearly. Let me briefly explain it:
1. There is less glue for grinding ink, so the pen can be used more smoothly. There is a lot of glue in the ink, so it is difficult to use the pen, and it will not be black when you add water.
2. The color of ground ink is more beautiful! And the more it is used, the more beautiful it becomes. The color of the ink is often completely black, while the ground ink has many changes.
3. Grinding ink is more adaptable to paper. The effect of writing on many rice papers with ink is mediocre, but the effect of writing with ground ink is good. There are also some processed papers where ink cannot be written on because the surface is smooth, but it can be written on by polishing the ink. Why is this? I guess it's because the ink particles are finer.
Grinding ink is actually quite fast, if you choose the right stone.
The inkstone made by Duanshi is solid and fine, and the ink does not stagnate when ground, the ink is produced quickly, the ink produced is fine and smooth, the writing pen does not break, the handwriting is luminous, is not eaten by insects and ants, and is durable. It is famous all over the world for not fading, and is recommended by literati as the first among all inkstones.
Analysis on the properties of ink:
For those who write and draw, grinding ink is a time-consuming task. Especially for calligraphy beginners or school students, ink brings them great convenience. The main components of ink are similar to ink ingots. However, in order to prevent precipitation and corruption, some electrolytes and preservatives must be added to the ink. These additives will affect the quality of the ink to a greater or lesser extent. Originally, the glue in the ink is still animal glue. Mainly, in recent years, it has been gradually replaced by synthetic glue, and the quality of ink has also caused many changes. Whether these synthetic glues and additives have any adverse effects on the preservation of paintings needs further study