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1054:) is used to grind the ink stick into powder. This powder is then mixed with water in a well in the inkstone in order to produce usable ink for calligraphy. The most ideal water for use in ink is slightly salty. Ink was first prepared using a mortar and pestle, but with the advent of inksticks this method slowly vanished. The stone used is generally of a relatively fine whetstone type.
800:
989:
produce it. Paper may be unprocessed, half processed or processed. The processing determines how well ink or paint is absorbed into the fibre of the paper, as well as the stiffness of the paper itself. Unprocessed papers are very absorbent and quite malleable, whereas processed papers are far more resistant to absorption and are stiffer.
760:
Brushes are classed as soft (軟毫), mixed (兼毫) or hard (硬毫). Hair is laboriously sorted by softness, hardness, thickness, & length, then bundled for specific uses. The most famous and highly prized brushes are a mix of yellow weasel, goat and rabbit hair, known as Húbǐ (湖筆); highly prized since the
756:
Modern brushes are primarily white goat hair (羊毫), black rabbit hair (紫毫), yellow weasel hair (黄鼠毫/狼毫), or a combination mix. Ancient brushes, and some of the more valuable ones available on the market may be made with the hair of any number of animals. Each type of hair has a specific ink capacity,
876:
soot. Soots are collected, then mixed with glue. Higher quality inksticks also use powdered spices and herbs, adding to aroma and providing some protection to the ink itself. The glue, soot, and spice mixture is then pressed into shape and allowed to dry. This process can take 6 weeks, depending on
988:
This particular form of paper, known as Xuānzhǐ (宣紙), is soft, fine-textured, moth resistant, has a high tensile strength, and remarkable longevity for such a product – so much so that it has a reputation for lasting "1,000 years". The quality of the paper depends on the processing methods used to
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and silks were used for writing material. Several methods of paper production developed over the centuries in China. However, the paper which was considered of highest value was that of the
Jingxian (泾县) in Anhui province.
1032:
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824:
1069:
with inkstones becoming extremely intricate works of art. The most highly sought-after inkstones originated in four locations in China. Duanshi stones (端石硯) from Duanxi in
737:(202 BC–220 AD). Brushes are generally made from animal hair, or —in certain situations—the first hair taken from a baby's head (said to bring good luck in the
884:, and painted. These particular articles are highly collectable, and often acquired like stamps. The inksticks in highest regard, known as Huīmò (徽墨), contain
661:). The individual treasures have a "treasured" form, each being produced in certain areas of China as a speciality for those scholars who would use them.
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1273:
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The best ink sticks are fine grained and have a light, slightly ringing sound when tapped. They are often decorated with poems, calligraphy, or
861:; earliest inks were probably liquids and not preserved. Modern inksticks are generally made of soots from one of three sources, including
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Classical scholars had more than just the Four treasures in their studies. The other "Treasures" include the
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and
Chengni ceramic stones (澄泥硯) which are manufactured by a process which is said to have been developed in
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giving distinct brush strokes. Different brushes are used for different styles of calligraphy and writing.
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733:(1045 BC–256 BC) illustrations on ancient bones. The oldest brush so far dates to
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1192:
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729:) is the oldest of the Four Treasures, with archaeological evidence dating to
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1374:
628:) In the couplet mentioned, each of the Treasures is referred to by a single
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853:. These first writing inks were based on naturally occurring minerals like
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The four treasures of the study: Brush, Ink, Paper, Inkstone.
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traditions. The name appears to originate in the time of the
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An inkstick made in the form of lotus leaves and flowers.
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1061:. The production of inkstones reached its zenith in the
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A highly decorative badger hair brush dating to the
480:
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
753:, carved bone/ivory, or other precious materials.
1181:Brushes; Head types, Compositions and Brush sizes
1372:
424:
410:
16:Instruments in East Asian calligraphy traditions
765:(late 14th century) they are currently made in
741:). Brush handles are commonly constructed from
1057:The earliest known inkstones date back to the
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503:
298:
284:
170:
154:
849:) is an artificial ink developed during the
457:
443:
1117:(镇纸), the brush-rinsing pot (笔洗), and the
745:, but special brushes may have handles of
135:
1256:"Cựu giám đốc thư viện mê cổ vật xứ Nghệ"
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
1307:
1305:
1002:
921:
798:
674:
1104:
1007:A Duan Inkstone in the shape of a pond.
1373:
1302:
602:The Four Treasures is expressed in a
1329:
563:is an expression used to denote the
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
900:. They are still produced today in
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1350:
625:Wén fáng sì bǎo: bǐ, mò, zhǐ, yàn
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1169:Paper, Paperweight and Desk pad
592:Southern and Northern Dynasties
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34:needs additional citations for
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1396:Chinese culture-related lists
1361:The dictionary definition of
1278:National Folk Museum of Korea
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1208:East Asian calligraphy styles
58:"Four Treasures of the Study"
7:
1364:four treasures of the study
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992:
928:The Treatise on Calligraphy
561:Four Treasures of the Study
126:Four Treasures of the Study
10:
1417:
1131:
996:
915:
877:an inkstick's dimensions.
792:
668:
1203:Mirror Flower, Water Moon
1113:(笔架), brush-hanger (笔挂),
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1343:Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
1326:Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
1121:(圖章) and seal-ink (印泥).
934:(646–691). Ink on Paper.
911:
664:
280:Traditional Chinese
274:Alternative Chinese name
150:Traditional Chinese
1236:Bamboo and wooden slips
1198:Three Friends of Winter
1073:, She stones (歙硯) from
1011:The inkstone (Chinese:
294:Simplified Chinese
166:Simplified Chinese
1381:East Asian calligraphy
1318:June 16, 2011, at the
1229:Vietnamese calligraphy
1085:stones (洮河硯) from the
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583:and spread into other
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1386:Visual arts materials
1335:Big5.xinhuanet.com. "
1145:Inkstone and Inkstick
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925:
802:
775:prefecture-level city
739:Imperial examinations
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1219:Japanese calligraphy
1105:Tools of the Scholar
769:(善琏), a town in the
476:Revised Romanization
225:man4 fong2 sei3 bou2
43:improve this article
1391:Chinese calligraphy
1311:Chinesetoday.com. "
1274:"남성의 애장품, 문방사우와 서안"
1214:Chinese calligraphy
1157:Seal and Seal Paste
1021:traditional Chinese
948:traditional Chinese
892:and other precious
697:traditional Chinese
581:Chinese calligraphy
406:Vietnamese alphabet
1401:Writing implements
1337:Big5.xinhuanet.com
1224:Korean calligraphy
1013:simplified Chinese
1009:
940:simplified Chinese
936:
805:
689:simplified Chinese
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389:tsuá-ba̍k-pit-hīnn
351:zi2 mak6 bat1 jin6
783:Zhejiang province
604:four-word couplet
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375:choá-ba̍k-pit-hīⁿ
317:Standard Mandarin
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1313:Chinesetoday.com
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1292:"「文房四宝」を半減させるな！"
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1046:Vietnamese: 硯
997:Main article:
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972:Vietnamese: 絏
926:A detail from
916:Main article:
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906:Anhui province
841:, Japanese: 墨
837:Vietnamese: 墨
807:The Inkstick (
793:Main article:
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721:, Japanese: 筆
669:Main article:
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659:hair brush/pen
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598:Four Treasures
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594:(420–589 AD).
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99:December 2013
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60: –
59:
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54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
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1340:
1331:
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1250:
1123:
1115:paperweights
1111:brush-holder
1108:
1056:
1051:
1050:Japanese: 硯
1047:
1043:
1028:
1010:
987:
982:bamboo slips
977:
976:Japanese: 紙
973:
969:
955:
937:
927:
879:
846:
845:, Ryukyuan:
842:
838:
834:
833:, Korean: 묵
820:
806:
763:Ming dynasty
759:
755:
731:Zhou dynasty
726:
725:, Ryukyuan:
722:
718:
714:
713:, Korean: 붓
708:
686:
681:Ming Dynasty
658:
652:
633:
623:
616:文房四寶：筆、墨、紙、硯
607:
601:
588:calligraphic
560:
559:
538:Romanization
359:Southern Min
324:Hanyu Pinyin
233:Southern Min
198:Hanyu Pinyin
144:Chinese name
120:
105:
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1059:Han dynasty
1042:Korean: 벼루
932:Sun Guoting
851:Han dynasty
735:Han dynasty
687:The brush (
544:Bunbō shihō
433:Korean name
1375:Categories
1242:References
1027:; Pinyin:
954:; Pinyin:
918:Xuan Paper
882:bas relief
872:soot, and
747:sandalwood
585:East Asian
482:Munbangsau
69:newspapers
1324:趣談「文房四寶」.
1260:VnExpress
1089:in South
1087:Tao River
1071:Guangdong
894:aromatics
859:vermilion
671:Ink brush
637:The Brush
577:ink stone
1316:Archived
1187:See also
999:Inkstone
993:Inkstone
904:(歙县) in
855:graphite
795:Inkstick
767:Shanlian
579:used in
345:Jyutping
219:Jyutping
1341:走近文房四寶.
1132:Gallery
1095:Luoyang
1075:Shexian
1048:nghiên,
1044:byeoru,
970:jong'i,
938:Paper (
902:Shexian
890:borneol
863:lacquer
809:Chinese
641:Chinese
630:epithet
612:Chinese
521:ぶんぼうしほう
420:Chữ Hán
366:Hokkien
240:Hokkien
83:scholar
1296:Nikkei
1052:suzuri
1023::
1015::
950::
942::
908:(安徽).
817:pinyin
811::
785:(浙江).
779:Huzhou
743:bamboo
710:máo bǐ
707::
705:pinyin
699::
691::
651::
649:pinyin
643::
622::
620:pinyin
614::
439:Hangul
383:Tâi-lô
257:Tâi-lô
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
1099:Henan
1091:Gansu
1083:Taohe
1079:Anhui
974:giấy,
912:Paper
847:shimi
781:, of
665:Brush
654:máobǐ
573:paper
565:brush
499:Kanji
453:Hanja
90:JSTOR
76:books
1119:seal
1065:and
1063:Tang
978:kami
886:musk
870:pine
866:soot
857:and
843:sumi
835:muk,
751:jade
727:fudi
723:fude
634:i.e.
575:and
515:Kana
506:文房四宝
459:文房四友
445:문방사우
426:文房四寶
300:纸墨笔砚
286:紙墨筆硯
173:文房四宝
157:文房四寶
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1097:in
1077:in
1034:yàn
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896:of
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777:of
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715:but
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952:紙
944:纸
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