Inkstone Appreciation and Reading

Author: Han Tianheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Both inkstone and seal are made of stone. The inkstone is firm and smooth, serving as the tool for ancient scholars to grind ink and write. The seal stone is carved by knife, serving as the stamp for ancient scholars. Whether it is an inkstone or a seal, both are indispensable companions for scholars. The use of inkstone dates back approximately three thousand years. In ancient times, scholars regarded it as "fields." The cultivation of "fields" by scholars was not only a means to sustain livelihood and dreams but also an art that produced the Six Principles and Eight Principles, as well as the most important tasks of writing, exchanging information, spreading knowledge, and even extending and developing Chinese civilization in every possible way. Both inkstone and seal are made of stone, and stone lasts for centuries. Therefore, even as dynasties rise and fall and people come and go, the "hardware" of inkstones mostly remains in the world. Facing ancient inkstones and rubbing ancient seals, it feels as if conversing with the ancients face-to-face, without any barriers. It is like mutual gazes with bright eyes, as if sharing breath, with thoughts and spirits connected, transcending time and space. In the hard and cold, one savors the warmth and intimacy, and the mind wanders freely—how wonderful and beautiful is that?