Longwei Inkstone [Jiangxi Wuyuan Specialty]

What is a dragon tail inkstone? Authentic specialty of Wuyuan, Jiangxi: Longwei Inkstone

Summary:Do you want to know what Longwei Inkstone is? This article is a detailed introduction to the special product of Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province - Longwei Inkstone. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network after reviewing and collecting relevant information on Longwei Inkstone. The full text takes about 23 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Longwei Inkstone and how its history originated? How to distinguish between genuine and fake dragon tail inkstones? Awards and honors for the Dragon Tail Inkstone

Basic Introduction to Longwei Inkstone

Longwei Inkstone is also known as Sheyan

Shezhou inkstone, which is one of the four famous inkstones in China, is produced in Shezhou between Mount Huangshan Mountain, Tianmu Mountain and Baiji Mountain, including Shexian County, Xiuning County, Qimen County, Yixian County and Wuyuan County. The best place of origin for Sheshi is the stream at the bottom of Longwei Mountain (Luowen Mountain) at the border of Wuyuan and Shexian. Therefore, Sheshi is also known as Longwei Inkstone, and Longwei Mountain is the production area for most of the surviving Sheshi treasures. In addition, Shexian County, Xiuning County, and Qimen County also produce Sheyan

Sheyan was famous in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than a thousand years. According to Hong Jingbo's "Sheyan Pu" from the Song Dynasty, during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty, Ye Shi, a hunter from Shezhou, drove animals to the Great Wall (place name) and saw the mountains and streams where the stacked stones were like a city, shining and lovely. He brought them back to form an inkstone, and from then on, Sheyan became famous throughout the world. Li Ye's "Six Inkstone Notes" states that at the end of Duanxi, Wushi is the first. Until now, the Tang inkstone has passed down to the world with a dragon tail. It is undeniable that Sheyan originated during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty. During the Yuanhe period of the Tang Dynasty, the famous calligrapher Liu Gongquan listed Duan inkstone, She inkstone, Tao inkstone, and Chengni inkstone as the four famous inkstones in China in his article "On Inkstones". During the Xiantong period of the Tang Dynasty, the literary figure Li Shanfu praised the poem "She Yan": "Chasing and carving other mountain stones, a spoonful deep in all directions, holding talent only by guarding ink, seeking every humble use. Waves are stirred up by patterns, dust is wasted and invaded, relying on the ruler's research, He Di is worth a thousand gold"

Quality Appreciation

The quality of inkstone includes the quality of the stone and the quality of the pattern and color, which are the foundation and foundation of inkstone, and the carrier of its value. A good She inkstone generally has the following basic conditions: firm and soft, warm and smooth like jade, ink like oil, no damage to the pen, almost no water absorption, clean after washing, water storage in cold winter without freezing, and water storage in summer without rotting

Observation method

A good inkstone has a deep luster, warm and delicate texture, clear texture, and prominent star halo. After wiping off the oil stains with a mirror cloth or facial tissue, observe under natural light, and if necessary, use a magnifying glass. If the distribution of silt is dense and uniform, it is a good product; If there is too much mudstone sandstone without silt, it is considered inferior. It can also be observed underwater. If the star points are evenly distributed, the quality is good; otherwise, it is poor

Rubbing method

Use a damp cloth to wipe the surface of the inkstone. If the water vapor stays for a long time and has poor permeability, it is considered high-quality; Those with shorter time have better water absorption performance and are considered defective products. This is because the She inkstone has a dense structure. It can also be placed under sunlight. If the water does not dry along certain directions, such as linear or circular, it indicates the development of joints or cracks and poor texture

The tapping method

This method is particularly useful for plain inkstones, while for hollow inkstones such as hand copied inkstones or certain biomimetic inkstones (such as high-quality She inkstones, cicada shaped inkstones, or lotus leaf inkstones), attention should be paid to taking them at thicker places such as the forehead of the inkstone. The method is to take off the inkstone with the five fingers of the left hand, make a circular shape between the thumb and index or middle finger of the right hand, lightly tap the edge of the inkstone with the index or middle finger, and listen to the sound to distinguish the stone. A good inkstone is one that produces a crisp and pleasant metallic sound, a jade and gold sound, a resounding and exquisite sound, and a deep and profound echo, like a heavenly sound that has been transmitted from ancient times; If the sound is made of wood or tile, such as "Bubu" or "Pupu", it implies the presence of cracks or loose texture

Hard Method

Take a sample of Song Kengkeng eyebrow pattern in Wuyuan and carve it on the back of the inkstone. If there are basically no fragments left and a certain amount of force is required to carve, it indicates that the stone is acceptable. This is because Sheyan is the hardest among the four famous inkstones in China

Touching method

A good inkstone has a very delicate texture, which can be described as like child's face, like beautiful skin, and full of breath and pearls. Therefore, you can use your fingers to press down on the surface of the inkstone. A smooth, delicate, and pure inkstone with a strong sense of ice is preferred; Strong warmth and rough texture, it is a secondary inkstone

Weighing method

Lift the inkstone and feel the weight. The heavier the weight, the better, indicating that the texture is dense and solid, with a high density, and naturally desirable. Like Wuyuan Longwei, but the old pit is noticeably heavier than the new pit

Ink grinding method

If the texture of the inkstone is fine, the surface is smooth, easy to grind, and the ink ground out is uniform and delicate; This type of inkstone produces ink without damaging the ink. If the surface is uneven and there is a sound when the inkstone is pressed, the ink must be rough and uneven, and the pen edge will be damaged, which can be seen from vision, touch, and observation

Appreciation of Carving

Styling

1. Antique style, which imitates the inkstone styles of various dynasties, such as Gui style, Feng zi, Feng chi, ancient Qian song, ancient bottle, Zhong ding, He bi, Hu style, turtle style, Qin style, lotus leaf, toad, sun and moon style, copying hand style, etc., is simple and antique, and is often collected and appreciated

2. Natural style, made according to the shape and pattern of the inkstone, skillfully crafted with materials and techniques

3. Large crown style, rectangular, with a slightly wider upper edge and a slightly narrower lower edge. The edge of the inkstone is carved with various patterns of patterns, and the inkstone pool is opened with a tongue. The back is engraved with multiple hands, and the interior is engraved with inscriptions, figures, landscapes, and other patterns

4. Yutang style, also known as plain edged inkstone, is rectangular in shape and does not have engraved patterns or decorations. The inkstone can be opened with a tongue or carved with a flowing pool, making it a practical inkstone style<5. Inkstone blank is a rare stone with extremely beautiful texture. Inkstone carvers cannot bear to cut it and keep it as an ornamental material

6. Set inkstones, using ordinary inkstone carvings as a support, embedded into the core of the high-quality stone

7. Lacquer precious inkstone, cleverly crafted by embedding precious inkstone thin slices into a lacquer box

Layout

1. Pattern style, that is, complex work. Exquisite and delicate strokes, left and right strokes, magnificent yet fresh and refined. Win by work, avoid excessive work and vulgarity. Most inkstone patterns during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty adopted this method

2. Chord pattern, also known as simplified work. The lines are simple and clear, with sharp and flexible transitions, distinct contours, and mostly plain inkstones. At the same time, there are many calligraphy and painting inscriptions engraved on the back. The ink pool and inkstone edges have orderly undulations and straight curves, which are generous and elegant, and were commonly seen in the Ming Dynasty. As shown in Figure 2.1, I saw a She red stone in Anhui, which is a typical string pattern. It is a replica of the Ming Dynasty hand copied inkstone from the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. The inkstone has a length of 35cm, a width of 18cm, and a height of 8cm, with a purple sand color all over the body. The surface is carved with a jade Ruyi ink pool, and the edge of the inkstone is damaged. Its decorative lines are very simple and smooth, with four character clerical script inscriptions engraved on the back

3. Sketching style, this is a unique and innovative carving technique. Seemingly disordered, but actually orderly

Knife technique

Knife technique mainly emphasizes the key to knife handling, such as how to chisel, carve, and carve. It is customary to use a round knife to avoid leaving knife marks, and avoid using a standing knife. Especially on the grinding hall and edges, using a round knife makes it look clean and tidy, without any roughness

Appreciation of Appearance

According to relevant literature and field investigations, inkstones are generally divided into two categories: ancient inkstones and new inkstones. The basic format of stone inkstones during the Qin and Western Han dynasties was a round pancake shape with an inkstone stem attached; From the Western Han Dynasty to the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was mostly a circular three legged style; The most common type of inkstone in the Tang Dynasty was the Ji shaped inkstone; In the Song Dynasty, the main focus was on copying inkstones; The Ming Dynasty reached its peak, emphasizing literary style and having numerous achievements, truly reaching the level of exquisite craftsmanship; After the Qing Dynasty, it gradually declined. The appearance should be just like a human face, and it is better to be upright, orderly, and graceful. Therefore, although the shapes of She inkstones are diverse and varied, generally speaking, those that are simple and follow the shape are preferred, such as rectangular, square, circular, and elliptical, followed by biomimetic shaped inkstones, miscellaneous shaped inkstones (such as melon shaped inkstones, bamboo shaped inkstones, cicada shaped inkstones), and irregular or even deformed inkstones and those with damaged parts are preferred<

Appreciation of Inscriptions

Refers to the creators and collectors of inkstones inscribing poems or making memorable sentences on appropriate parts of the inkstone, which is mainly reflected in the cultural value of the inkstone. The value of inscriptions should not only depend on the status and artistic conception of the creators and collectors, but also on the level of their writing and carving

The famous poems and quotes of famous artists, combined with their calligraphy and carving, can create the finishing touch effect, greatly increasing the value of inkstones; On the contrary, if Ming becomes a superfluous flaw, it is not as good as having nothing at all. For example, the market value and collection value of the ancient inkstone in Tunxi Old Street of Mount Huangshan can be well reflected by whether there are famous inscriptions and inscription calligraphy

Appreciation of Decoration

Refers to the decoration of inkstones, such as inkstone boxes and brocade sets. Although these things do not belong to the inkstone itself and are only used for decoration and maintenance, they can also play a significant supporting role in the quality of the inkstone. The materials and processing of genuine famous inkstones, such as inkstone boxes and brocade sets, are generally very exquisite. Inkstones that are placed in simple packaging or have no packaging at all are difficult to be considered of any grade. The inkstones in the precious exhibition room of the Three Hundred Inkstones Studio are mostly made of camphor wood, yew wood, or rosewood, and are not limited to square or rectangular boxes with a single color of green. Instead, they are crafted according to the shape of the inkstone, achieving seamless integration between the inkstone and the inkstone box, naturally highlighting one's identity and standing out from the crowd