What is Four Treasures of the Study in China?

Four Treasures of the Study refers to pen, ink, paper and inkstone respectively.

"Pen, ink, paper and inkstone" in Southern Tang Dynasty refers to Xuancheng Zhuge Pen, Huizhou Li Tinggui Ink, Chengxin Tang Paper and Huizhou Wuyuan Weilong inkstone. Since the Song Dynasty, "pen, ink, paper and inkstone" refers to Xu Anbi (Xuancheng, Anhui), Huimo (Shexian, Huizhou, Anhui), She Yan (Shexian, Xuancheng, Anhui), Yan Tao (Zhuoni, Gansu) and Duanzhou (Zhaoqing, Guangdong, formerly known as Duanzhou).

After the Yuan Dynasty, Hubi (Huzhou, Zhejiang) gradually flourished, while Xu Anbi gradually declined. After the reform and opening up, Xu Anbi gradually recovered its vitality. As the hometown of Four Treasures of the Study, Xuancheng, Anhui Province, is the most authentic place of Four Treasures of the Study in China and the world-renowned "hometown of Four Treasures of the Study, China".

Extended information 1, the earliest writing brush, can be traced back to about 2000 years ago. Although there were no objects with brushes in the Western Zhou Dynasty and above, we can find some signs of using pens from the prehistoric painted pottery patterns of Shang Dynasty and Oracle Bone Inscriptions.

The writing pen in our country originated very early. Judging from Oracle Bone Inscriptions without knives, there were primitive pens in Xia and Shang Dynasties. Judging from the patterns on painted pottery in the Neolithic Age, the appearance of pens can be traced back to more than 5,000 years ago.

By the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, all countries had made and used writing pens. At that time, there were many names for pens: Wu called it Fa, Yan called it Fu, Chu called it Xing and Qin called it Pen.

2. Before the invention of artificial ink making, natural ink or semi-natural ink was generally used as writing material. Prehistoric painted pottery patterns, Shang and Zhou Oracle Bone Inscriptions, bamboo slips, silk paintings and so on have left traces of original ink everywhere.

According to documents, ink was also used in ancient ink punishment (face painting), ink rope (carpenter's use) and ink turtle (divination). After this long course, in the Han Dynasty, artificial ink finally began to appear. This kind of ink raw material is taken from pine smoke, which is first kneaded by hand and then molded, and the ink quality is solid.

3. Paper is one of the four great inventions in ancient China. Even in the prevalence of machine-made paper today, some traditional handmade papers still reflect its irreplaceable role and glow with unique brilliance. Ancient newspapers can still get a glimpse of him in Gu Shuhua. For a long time before the invention of paper, what did people use as recording materials?

According to the literature and physical data, the earliest people used knots to take notes. When something happened, they tied a knot and solved it when they were finished. Later, he carved words on the bones of tortoise shells, which was called "Oracle Bone Inscriptions".

After the bronze wares were produced, they were engraved with inscriptions, namely "Bronze Inscription" or "Zhong Dingwen". After that, write the words on the pieces cut from bamboo and wood, which are called "bamboo slips". For example, a wide piece of bamboo is called a "bamboo slip". At the same time, some of them are also written on silk fabrics.

4. Inkstone, also known as "Inkstone", was praised by the ancients as "the first in Four Treasures of the Study". Because ink can only be called by adding water to grind it, and the stone punishment for sending ink is inkstone. Among them are pottery, clay, bricks, metals, lacquerware, porcelain, stones and so on. The most common is inkstone.

There are many stones that can be used as inkstones. China is vast in territory and abundant in natural resources, with famous mountains and rivers everywhere. Where there are stones, there must be masons, so the origin of inkstone is all over the country.

The most famous ones are Guangdong Zhaoqing Duanyan inkstone, Anhui Sheyan inkstone, Gansu Yantao inkstone, Shandong Luyan inkstone, Jiangxi Weilong inkstone and Shaanxi Chengni inkstone. The stress of inkstone is: thin and greasy, moist and pure, crystal clear and smooth, good texture and color, easy to ink and not absorb water.

Some have breasts, some have eyes, some have belts, some have stars, and the production is better where there are mountains and water. For example, this inkstone was taken from an axe bathed in Jiang Wei's mine in Duan Xi.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Four Treasures of the Study