Four Treasures of the Study
The brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, collectively known as the "Four Treasures of the Study," are highly regarded by Chi- nese literati as essential tools for writing and painting. These cultural artifacts are not only unique to Chinese culture but are also considered representative of China's intangible cultural heritage.
The brush, made from animal hair, is most famously produced in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, known as the "Huzhou Brush." High quality ink, a coloring material used for writing and painting, originally black but now available in various pigments, is most famously produced in Huizhou, Anhui Prov- ince. The best paper for writing is made in Xuanzhou, Anhui Province, and known as "Xuan Paper". The inkstone, used for grinding ink with water, is most famously produced in Zhao- qing, Guangdong Province, and is known as "Duan Inkstone". In ancient times, scholars regarded these exquisite study tools not only as practical necessities but also as spiritual companions.
The emergence of the Four Treasures of the Study ushered China into an era where people could use them to record history and express their feelings. They have borne witness to and documented the development of the Chinese civilization. With these tools, Chinese people created unique styles of calligraphy and painting, establishing an distinctive expression system in this Oriental country.
文房四寶
筆、墨、紙、硯被中國文人譽為“文房四寶”。“文房四寶”是獨具中國特色的文書工具，也是非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)中極具代表性的中國國粹。
“筆”特指毛筆，筆頭用動物的毛制成，最有名的是浙江湖州的“湖筆”。“墨”是書寫、繪畫的色料（本義是黑色，后泛指顏料），最有名的是安徽徽州所產(chǎn)的“徽墨”。“紙”是書寫的材料，以安徽宣城生產(chǎn)的“宣紙”為最佳。“硯”是和水磨墨之石，最著名的是廣東肇慶的“端硯”。在古代文人眼中，精美的文房用品不只是實用的工具，更是精神上的良伴。
作為中華文明的見證者與記錄者，“文房四寶”的誕生使中國邁入用其記錄歷史、抒發(fā)情感的時代，創(chuàng)造了獨特風(fēng)格的書法和繪畫，形成了獨樹一幟的東方表達系統(tǒng)。
