Yishui Study Calligraphy Set

Brand Introduction

Yishui inkstones are produced in Yixian County, Hebei (formerly known as Yizhou), and rank among China’s top 10 famous inkstones. Their craftsmanship was added to the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008. Their history dates back to the Han dynasty. Passed down for 2,000 years, they draw on the finest traditions of inkstone carving from both north and south, forming a distinctive artistic character of “southern refinement and northern strength.” Located deep in the Taihang Mountains, Yixian has, through hundreds of millions of years of geological sedimentation, produced prized inkstone materials including Yudai stone, Zicui stone, Foshi stone, Wujin stone, Dongshao stone and Yishui jade. Dense, fine and smooth, the stone is praised in the Yizhou Gazetteer as “no less than Duanxi” and “fine and hard, making excellent inkstones,” earning it the reputation of “Duan in the south, Yi in the north.” Yishui inkstone carving emphasizes the natural qualities of the stone, adapting the craft to the material and achieving the extraordinary through ingenuity. Using techniques including flat carving, relief carving, openwork carving, bas-relief, pierced carving and contrasting relief carving, it brings poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal art together within a small space, preserving the stone’s natural texture while imbuing it with humanistic meaning. From raw inkstone stone to refined studyware, Yishui inkstones draw on the spirit of Yishui’s mountains and rivers and carry the legacy of 1,000 years of intangible cultural heritage. With craftsmanship, rough stone is shaped into elegant objects that embody the character of scholars and continue the Chinese cultural tradition, fully expressing Eastern aesthetics and the spirit of intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship.