Four Treasures of the Study
Find out why the brush, paper, ink and ink stone are considered treasures in the heritage art of Chinese calligraphy.
In ancient China, literacy was often associated with political authority and status,and so was something valued. Nobles in particular emphasised literacy training and children from these families were taught calligraphy from a young age. Chinese calligraphy is a heritage art form that holds great significance in Chinese culture. It was not just a means of communication but also a supreme visual art form. As such, how words are written is as important as the words that are written. Chinese characters convey more than just phonetic sounds and semantic meanings. The way words are written is seen as a manifestation of a person’s character and his physical energy.
A Tang Dynasty text personified calligraphy, explaining that a written character should stand balanced on all four sides, standing upright like a gentleman; the upper half of the character should sit comfortably on the bottom half that supports it. There are also records of the use of nature metaphors to express the thoughts and emotions evoked by calligraphic works. Sun Guoting, a seventh-century calligrapher from the Tang Dynasty, said this: “I have seen the wonder of a drop of dew glistening from a dangling needle, a shower of rock hailing down in a raging thunder, a flock of geese gliding [in the sky], frantic beasts stampeding in terror, a phoenix dancing, a startled snake slithering away in fright.”
An emperor of the Han people reportedly sent a messenger to obtain a piece of his cousin’s writing when he learnt he was on his death bed; he believed that the calligraphy that embodied his cousin’s personality would enable him to commune with his cousin even after his death.
Brush strokes are very telling of the strength the calligrapher uses and this strength is a gauge of his skill. Masterfully executed strokes convey delicacy, vitality and contemplation.
The brush, paper, ink and ink stone are four key tools of this traditional art. The synergy of these four treasures produces a multitude of expressions, and the mastery of their use is a lifetime passion for the learned in ancient China and afficionados of today.
The size of the brush chosen is proportionate to the size of the character.
Contrary to common belief, brush choices depend not on a style of calligraphy one wants to practise but on one’s frame of mind. Brush hair is called hao and can be made from the hair of animals like goats, weasels, pigs, rabbits and buffalos. Exotic ones may have hair from tigers and deer. Some brushes have soft hairs while some have stiff hairs. Those with a mixture of soft and stiff hairs are called jian hao and are usually made with a mixture of goat hair and either wolf or rabbit fur. Different types of hair confer different levels of flexibility to a brush and one with a flexible head is valued for its versatility – the ability to create strokes of varying width. For this reason, flexible brushes are harder to control and are not recommended for beginners. Depending on whether the side or tip of the head is used, one can create twodimensional or three-dimensonal effects.
“The brush, paper, ink and ink stone are four key tools of this traditional art. The synergy of these four treasures produces a multitude of expressions, and the mastery of their use is a lifetime passion for the learned in ancient China and afficionados of today.”
Holding the brush higher along its body creates softer strokes while holding it closer to the tip creates solid, more defined strokes.
Three types of paper – xuan zhi, mian zhi and miao bia zhi – are used for Chinese calligraphy. Xuan zhi is considered the best type for it is soft, flexible and resistant to deterioration. To prevent wastage, the coarser and cheaper miao bian zhi is used for practice. Made with herbs and possessing a yellow tinge, they are often printed with grids to guide beginners. There are two types of xuan zhi: sheng xuan (absorbent) and shu xuan (non-absorbent). Anhui Province in China is renowned for produng the best xuan zhi.
Since the Han Dynasty, ink sticks have been made from pine soot and glue. Ink made of soot from burning pine is considered superior. In ancient times, emperors such as Qianlong paid great attention to its production and appreciation of quality inks. High-quality inks encased in elaborately decorated cases were often presented as gifts to nobility in ancient China, Korea and Japan. A calligrapher can control the thickness of the ink by varying the amount of water and ground solid ink. Stones are usually used to make ink stones but archaeological excavations have uncovered ancient ink stones of jade, lacquer, metal (bronze, silver or iron) and porcelain. The highest quality ink stone, duanyan, is produced in Duan Zhou in Guangdong. It is called 'purple clouds' due to the purple hue on its base. Ink stones were common tribute items given to the royal families during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD).
While Chinese calligraphy is less popular in modern times, Beijing-based newsaper ren min ri bao (The People’s Daily) is an example of the art form’s endurance. Its four-character name written calligraphy-style by Mao Zedong is still used as the masthead today. The tools used in Chinese calligraphy are the same ones used in Chinese ‘water and ink’ painting known as shui mo hua. Shops that have a long history of producing brushes and ink still exist in China, and artists who continue to reinvent ‘water and ink’ painting contribute to the survival of these treasured tools. ag
“The highest quality ink stone, duanyan, is produced in Duan Zhou in Guangdong. It is called ʻpurple cloudsʼ due to the purple hue on its base.”