Liu Xi's Interpretation of Names in the Han Dynasty explained: "Those who write inkstones can study ink, but they can study ink, which makes the messenger flexible.". It evolved from a grinder in primitive society. In the early days, the shape of inkstone was primitive. It is made of a small millstone pressed with ink pills on a smooth stone tool and ground into ink. By the Han dynasty, there were carvings on the inkstone platform, and there were enough under the stone cover. From the Wei, Jin, Sui and Tang Dynasties, a round porcelain inkstone appeared, which was more than three feet long. The dustpan-shaped inkstone is a common kind of inkstone in Tang Dynasty, similar to dustpan. One end of the inkstone falls to the ground, and the other end is supported by feet. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, the shapes of inkstones became more diversified.
After Qin and Han Dynasties, Wei and Jin Dynasties and Tang Dynasty, stones suitable for making inkstones were found everywhere, and inkstones were mainly made. Among them, the red silk inkstones in Qingzhou, Shandong, Duanzhou, Guangdong, Zhou Juan, Anhui and Taohe, Lintao, Gansu are called red silk inkstones, Duanyan inkstones, Sheyan inkstones and Taohe inkstones respectively. Later generations called Hongsi inkstone, Duan inkstone, She inkstone and Lintao inkstone the four famous inkstones. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, Shaanxi inkstone, Duan, She and Tao were listed as the four famous inkstones in China.
Ink stone, pen, ink and paper are the traditional Four Treasures of the Study in China, and they are the necessary tools for China's calligraphy. The inkstone is not only the stationery of the study, but also a rare collection of literati in past dynasties because of its solid nature and immortality. The materials of inkstone platform are rich and varied, besides red stone, end stone, rolling stone, peach and stone, mud stone, Xugong inkstone, Yishui inkstone, turquoise, strange stone and chrysanthemum stone, there are dozens of kinds of jade inkstone, jade miscellaneous stone inkstone, tile inkstone, lacquer sand inkstone, iron inkstone and porcelain inkstone.
Ink stone develops with the development of pen and ink. The earliest inkstone was inkstone. In the Han Dynasty, due to the invention of hand-made ink, ink can be directly ground on inkstone, so inkstone began to develop, and there appeared copper inkstone, pottery inkstone, silver inkstone, Xu, wood tire lacquer sand inkstone and so on. The most prominent thing from the Six Dynasties to the Sui Dynasty was the appearance of porcelain inkstones. The Tang Dynasty is an important period for the development of inkstones, with two inkstones, namely Duanshi and Huishi. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the materials for making inkstones were more abundant, and there appeared tile inkstones, iron inkstones, tin inkstones, jade inkstones, ivory inkstones and bamboo inkstones. When the study of wooden inkstone began is still inconclusive, but it was mostly in the Qing Dynasty. Wood is not suitable for making inkstones because of its nature, but the romance of literati combined this bold attempt with the ingenuity of craftsmen, leaving us with many exquisite furnishings for the study.
Besides inkstones, China also produced some inkstones made of other raw materials. In Han Dynasty, there were tile inkstone, pottery inkstone, jade inkstone, iron inkstone and lacquer inkstone. There were wooden inkstones, porcelain inkstones and bronze inkstones in Jin Dynasty. There were mud inkstones in the Tang Dynasty; In Song Dynasty, there were crystal inkstones, stone inkstones, brick inkstones and natural inkstones. There were fossil inkstones in Ming dynasty; There was paper and inkstone in Qing dynasty; Now there is a rubber inkstone.
After a long history, inkstone is no longer a simple stationery, but has become a fine handicraft integrating sculpture and painting, and has become the object of collection of literati.
If we want to explore the origin of China inkstone, we may trace it back to the grinding machine that humans used to make tools in primitive society. As a "Four Treasures of the Study" with pen, ink and paper, the literati of all previous dynasties in China cherished inkstone beyond measure. As a fashion trend, inkstone carving, appreciating inkstone and hiding inkstone, with the evolution of social history, inkstone has condensed all kinds of information about China's culture, economy and even aesthetic consciousness in past dynasties. For modern people, ancient inkstone has completed the transformation from practical products to works of art, thus creating its unique collection and financial management value.