Top Four Inkstones

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IINKSTONE, along with ink, writingbrush and rice paper, are knownas the four Treasures of Study inChina.

For calligraphers and painters，a goodinkstone is as important as the inkstickitself An inkstone is a slate to grind theSOlidiakstiekinwater．and as suchmaygreatly effect the quality of the liquid ink.

The functions of an inkstone are muchmore than its r01e as a grindstone．It isa Diece of art that reflects historical andCUltural elements．Moreover．the beautyof an inkstolle not onlv dedends on itsteXture，COlor or the thing it is shaped toresemble．but much more on its capacityto integrate with ink alld brush．A KOOdinkstone produces smooth and thick liq-uid ink whne doing no harm to the brush.

Formed from primitive grindstones,the first inkstone appeared during theHan Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.220)andthe tool reached the peak of its popular-ity during the Tang (618-9o7) and Song(96o-1279) dynasties.

The stone tablet in all its guises has around, square or oblong fiat-bottomedindentation for grinding. Ancient peoplesometimes engraved their names ormottos on the surface of inkstones andpassed this Treasure of Study onto latergenerations.

A variety of ink grinders are still pro-duced all over China, but the best knownof them are Duan, She, Tao and Chengniinkstones.

Selecting the most appropriate mate-rial is the key to making a high-qualityinkstonc．Some Knds of stones producet00 much residlie in the bottom whenink bars are groilild there，while someother kinds absorb the ink auicklv．Therefore，craftsmen must test for hard―hess and density when selecting a Dieceof lisable stone．Those buried under一grrouud for thousands Of years are themost ideal Of materials．

After the proper material is selected．an inkstone maker carefullv observesthe stolle's shape、structure and texture．Forming a design in his mind，the makerthell dtaws Datteras oil the stone andsailpts it．Every step is done bv handalld each inkstone therefOre is differentfrom all others as each craftsman bringshis owu aesthetics and individual skillstothetask．

She Inkstones

She inkstones are named after their birthplace in today's Shexian, Anhui Province. Lon-gwei Mountain in the region harbors supreme-quality rocks. She inkstones were first madein the Hun Dynasty and became famous in the Tang Dynasty. Emperors even ordered work-shops set up and appointed craftsmento supervise inkstone production in thearea.

Because She inkstones are usuallymade of the densest stone, their textureis smooth and lustrous. In Chinese inkpaintings, artists create a variety of huesby balancing the ratio of ink and water.She inkstones were preferred for theirexceptional ability to hold moisture.

The raw materials for She inkstonesare selected from rocks formed somehundred thousand years ago. Duringmillennia of geological change, somedeposits naturally developed a variety of textures and hues that lend them-selves to artistic interpretations. Theslate used for a She inkstone usuallycarries glittering golden or silver speck-les, veins, stripes or waves that assumedifferent patterns. The ones dotted with"golden stars" or jade veins are rare,and therefore the most valuable.

Duan Inkstones

Duan inkstones originated in the mountains by theDuanxi River in Guangdong Province. Since the Tang Dy-nasty this area has been a major inkstone manufacturer,and even today, most of the villagers still earn their living bymaking inkstones.

Purple in color, Duan inkstones are glossy and as smoothas silk. They enjoy a great reputation as they never crackeven in deeply cold temperatures. It is a long and laboriousprocess to forage for flawless Duan stones. Miners dig tun-nels less than one meter high at the riverside, in which theysquat, sit or lie down and scrounge for eligible slates.

Similar to She inkstones, Duan inkstones often havebeautiful veins formed by powerful natural events. Ink-stones with patterns that look like an eye or a cracking icesurface are highly desirable and selected for the most deli-cate craftmanship.

A set of inkstones often contains a grinder and a lid.Lids for the Duan inkst0nes are usually made of sandal-wood or rosewood so that the purple color will match thestone itself.

In addition to natural designs, craftsmen often engravethe images of dragons, flowers, birds, mountains and riv-ers on the slabs, making the inkstones more intriguing andelaborate.

Tao Inkstones

Tao inkstones produced in Gansu Province stand outfor their emerald-like sheen. The stones are excavatedfrom the Taohe River and became famous as early as inthe Song Dynasty.

Tao inkstones can be divided into four types according tocolor. Duck Head Green is the best in quality and texture;Parrot Green has a darker hue and smoothier surface; Wil-low Leaf Green is speckled with natural red dots while LightGreen has a comparatively dense texture.

A Tao inkstone is not only a grindstone favored by paint-ers and calligraphers, but considered a work with greatartistic value. When Hong Kong was returned to China in1997, the Gansu provincial government made a present ofa Tao inkstone to the government of the Special Adminis-trative Region.

Chengni Inkstones

Chengni inkstones are significantly different from the other three kinds, being akind of pottery. Instead of hard stone, Chengni inkstones are made of silt from the Yel-low River, a specialty produced in the provinces along the river like Shanxi and Henan.Their history can be dated back to the Tang Dynasty.

The major steps in the making of a Chengni inkstone are material selection, filtering,molding, carving, firing and polishing.

The mud is first filtered and dried. Craftsmen then form the mud into differentshapes and carve into its surface decorative cultural symbols like the dragon and phoe-nix or Chinese characters with auspicious meanings such as happiness, longevity andgood fortune. After that, the mud is fired in a kiln. Adjusting the temperature during fir-ing produces inkstones of different colors. Inkstones in the dark brown of eel skin, thedark green of crab shell or the light green of pea puree are considered the best.

In 2006, 2007 and 2008, Chengni inkstones produced in Xinjiang County, ShanxiProvince were given the Excellent Handicrafts award by the United Nations.

As material for inkstones are non-renewable, a shortage of resources is slowing ink-stone production. Today inkstones are becoming a new favorite of collectors. On themarket the older the inkstone, the more valuable.

In 2006, the technique of inkstone production was placed on China's Intangible Cul-tural Heritage list.