Four Treasures of the Study
Encyclopedia
Four Treasures of the Study, Four Jewels of the Study or Four Friends of the Study is an expression used to denote the brush
, ink
, paper
and ink stone
used in Chinese and other East Asian calligraphic
traditions. The name appears to originate in the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasties
(420-589 AD).
). 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.
The brush is the most ancient of the Four Treasures, with archaeological evidence dating back to the Zhou dynasty
(1045 BC–256 BC) illustrating its use on ancient bones. The oldest brush found so far dates back to the Han dynasty
(202 BC–220 AD). The brush is generally made from animal hair, although in certain situations writing brushes were made of the first hair taken from a baby's head. This hair was said to bring good luck in the Imperial examinations. The handles of the brushes are commonly made of bamboo
although special brushes might have handles made of sandalwood
, jade
, carved bone/ivory, or other precious materials.
Modern brushes are made primarily from white goat hair (羊毫), black rabbit hair (紫毫), yellow weasel hair (黄鼠毫), or a combination of these. Ancient brushes, and some of the more valuable ones available on the market may be made with the hair of any number of different types of animals. Each type of hair has a different ink capacity, which in turn results in a different appearance of the brush's stroke. These differing brushes are used for different styles of calligraphy and writing.
Brushes are classed as either soft (軟毫), mixed (兼毫) or hard (硬毫). Their production is quite a laborious process which involves hair-sorting on the basis of softness, hardness, thickness, length, and then making appropriate bundles of correct composition for certain purposes. The most famous and highly prized brushes are a mix of yellow weasel, goat and rabbit hair, and are known as Húbǐ (湖筆). They have been prized highly since the Ming dynasty
(late 14th century) and are currently made in Shanlian
(善琏), a town in the Wuxing District
(吴兴) of Zhejiang province (浙江).
The Inkstick (Chinese: 墨 pinyin: mò) is a form of artificial ink which was developed during the Han dynasty
. The first inks used for writing were based on naturally occurring minerals like graphite
and vermilion
. Early inks were probably in liquid form, and therefore did not get preserved. The inksticks of today are generally made using soots from one of three different sources. These include lacquer
soot
, pine
soot, and oil
soot. These soots are collected, and then mixed with glue. Higher quality inksticks are also mixed with powdered spices and herbs, which both add to the aroma of the ink and providing some protection to the ink itself. The glue, soot, and spice mixture is then pressed into a shape and allowed to dry. This process may take upwards of 6 weeks depending on the dimensions of the inkstick.
The best ink sticks are fine grained and have a light, slightly ringing sound when tapped. They are often decorated with poems, calligraphy, or bas relief, and painted. These particular articles are highly collectable, and were often collected in much the same way as stamps are. The inksticks which are held in highest regard, are known as Huīmò (徽墨) are known to contain musk
, borneol
and other precious aromatics normally used in Chinese medicine. They are still produced today in Shexian (歙县) in Anhui province (安徽).
Paper (Chinese: traditional 紙, simplified 纸; Pinyin: zhǐ) was first developed in China in the first decade of 100 AD. Previous to its invention, bamboo slips 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.
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 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.
The earliest known inkstones date back to the Han dynasty
. The production of inkstones reached its zenith in the Tang
and Song dynasties
with inkstones becoming extremely intricate works of art. The most highly sought-after inkstones originated in four different locations in China. Duanshi (端石硯) stones from Duanxi in Guangdong
, She (歙硯) stones from Shexian in Anhui
, Taohe stones (洮河硯) from the Tao River
in South Gansu
and Chengni ceramic stones (澄泥硯) which are manufactured by a process which is said to have been developed in Luoyang
in Henan
.
Ink brush
Ink brushes are used in Chinese calligraphy. They are also used in Chinese painting and descendant brush painting styles. The ink brush was invented in China, believed to be around 300BCE...
, ink
Inkstick
Inksticks are a type of solid ink used traditionally in several East Asian cultures for calligraphy and brush painting. Inksticks are made mainly of soot and animal glue, sometimes with incense or medicinal scents added...
, paper
Xuan paper
Xuan paper , or Shuen paper or rice paper, is a kind of paper originating in ancient China used for writing and painting...
and ink stone
Ink stone
An inkstone is literally a stone mortar for the grinding and containment of ink. Traditional East Asian ink is solidified into sticks. A small amount of water can be applied to the end of a stick of ink, and that end would be ground with the flat surface of the ink stone. A larger quantity of...
used in Chinese and other East Asian calligraphic
East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...
traditions. The name appears to originate in the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasties
Southern and Northern Dynasties
The Southern and Northern Dynasties was a period in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589 AD. Though an age of civil war and political chaos, it was also a time of flourishing arts and culture, advancement in technology, and the spreading of Mahayana Buddhism and Daoism...
(420-589 AD).
The Four Treasures
Chinese culture is very fond of four word couplets, and the Four Treasures is another example: "文房四寶: 筆、墨、紙、硯," (Pinyin: wén fáng sì bǎo: bǐ, mò, zhǐ, yàn) "The four jewels of the study: Brush, Ink, Paper, Inkstone." In the couplet mentioned, each of the Treasures is referred to by a single epithet; however, each of these are usually known by a compound name (i.e. The Brush: 毛筆, literally "hair brush/pen). 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.
The Brush
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
(1045 BC–256 BC) illustrating its use on ancient bones. The oldest brush found so far dates back to the Han dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
(202 BC–220 AD). The brush is generally made from animal hair, although in certain situations writing brushes were made of the first hair taken from a baby's head. This hair was said to bring good luck in the Imperial examinations. The handles of the brushes are commonly made of bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
although special brushes might have handles made of sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
, jade
Jade
Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
, carved bone/ivory, or other precious materials.
Modern brushes are made primarily from white goat hair (羊毫), black rabbit hair (紫毫), yellow weasel hair (黄鼠毫), or a combination of these. Ancient brushes, and some of the more valuable ones available on the market may be made with the hair of any number of different types of animals. Each type of hair has a different ink capacity, which in turn results in a different appearance of the brush's stroke. These differing brushes are used for different styles of calligraphy and writing.
Brushes are classed as either soft (軟毫), mixed (兼毫) or hard (硬毫). Their production is quite a laborious process which involves hair-sorting on the basis of softness, hardness, thickness, length, and then making appropriate bundles of correct composition for certain purposes. The most famous and highly prized brushes are a mix of yellow weasel, goat and rabbit hair, and are known as Húbǐ (湖筆). They have been prized highly since the Ming dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
(late 14th century) and are currently made in Shanlian
Shanlian
Shanlian is a small town located in northern Zhejiang province in China, in the Nanxun District of the Huzhou administrative district. This town is noted as being the sole source in the world for the highly prized Huzhou writing brush, which has been manufactured in the town for over 2,000...
(善琏), a town in the Wuxing District
Wuxing District
Wuxing District is a district in the prefecture-level city of Huzhou, Zhejiang, China....
(吴兴) of Zhejiang province (浙江).
The Ink
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
. The first inks used for writing were based on naturally occurring minerals like graphite
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
and vermilion
Vermilion
Vermilion is an opaque orangish red pigment, similar to scarlet. As a naturally occurring mineral pigment, it is known as cinnabar, and was in use around the world before the Common Era began. Most naturally produced vermilion comes from cinnabar mined in China, and vermilion is nowadays commonly...
. Early inks were probably in liquid form, and therefore did not get preserved. The inksticks of today are generally made using soots from one of three different sources. These include lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
soot
Soot
Soot is a general term that refers to impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon. It is more properly restricted to the product of the gas-phase combustion process but is commonly extended to include the residual pyrolyzed fuel particles such as cenospheres,...
, pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
soot, and oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
soot. These soots are collected, and then mixed with glue. Higher quality inksticks are also mixed with powdered spices and herbs, which both add to the aroma of the ink and providing some protection to the ink itself. The glue, soot, and spice mixture is then pressed into a shape and allowed to dry. This process may take upwards of 6 weeks depending on the dimensions of the inkstick.
The best ink sticks are fine grained and have a light, slightly ringing sound when tapped. They are often decorated with poems, calligraphy, or bas relief, and painted. These particular articles are highly collectable, and were often collected in much the same way as stamps are. The inksticks which are held in highest regard, are known as Huīmò (徽墨) are known to contain musk
Musk
Musk is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial substances with similar odors. Musk was a name originally given to a substance with a...
, borneol
Borneol
Borneol is a bicyclic organic compound and a terpene. The hydroxyl group in this compound is placed in an endo position.Borneol is easily oxidized to the ketone yielding camphor. One historical name for borneol is Borneo camphor which explains the name. Borneol can be synthesized by reduction of...
and other precious aromatics normally used in Chinese medicine. They are still produced today in Shexian (歙县) in Anhui province (安徽).
The Paper
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 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.
The Inkstone
The inkstone (Chinese: traditional 硯 or 硯臺; simplified 砚 or 砚台; Pinyin: yàn or yàn tái) 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.The earliest known inkstones date back to the Han dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
. The production of inkstones reached its zenith in the Tang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
and Song dynasties
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
with inkstones becoming extremely intricate works of art. The most highly sought-after inkstones originated in four different locations in China. Duanshi (端石硯) stones from Duanxi in Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, She (歙硯) stones from Shexian in Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
, Taohe stones (洮河硯) from the Tao River
Tao River
Tao River is a right tributary of China's Yellow River. It starts in Xiqing Mountains near the Gansu-Qinghai border, flows eastward across Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and then northward more or less along the border between Dingxi Prefecture-level City in the east and Gannan and Linxia...
in South Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
and Chengni ceramic stones (澄泥硯) which are manufactured by a process which is said to have been developed in Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
in Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
.