China's ancient civilization has a long history and has unique expressions in many aspects. One of them is China's unique culture of the Four Treasures of Scholars and Stationery.
Let's take a look at what the "Four Treasures of the Study" are. The term was coined by Zhang Xu, a calligrapher during the Tang Dynasty, and refers to the four main tools needed for writing and painting: pen, ink, paper, and inkstone. These four words represent the basic elements of the production of writing, respectively – the brush (pen), the stone vessel (inkstone) used to grind the ink, the bamboo tube or porcelain (ink) used to make or store the ink, and the paper (paper) as the medium of writing. During the Tang and Song dynasties, the "Four Treasures of Study" has become an iconic cultural symbol and has been used to this day.
Let's take a look at stationery culture. In traditional Chinese culture, stationery is not only a practical item, but also carries a rich cultural connotation. For example, the ancients had a special reverence for the pen, believing it to be an artifact given by the gods to record people's thoughts and feelings. Therefore, a good pen is regarded as a treasure and is widely used in poetry creation, calligraphy practice, Xi other activities. In addition, ink also has its own unique story. Legend has it that after Qin Shi Huang unified the Six Kingdoms, in order to consolidate his dominance, he ordered the destruction of all books in the world to prevent the spread of rebellion. However, a minister named Liss secretly hid his writings in a pool of black ink and thus preserved them. This story later evolved into the plot of "Journey to the West", one of the "Four Great Masterpieces", which made ink a part of Chinese culture.
What we need to know is that although modern society has entered the digital age, the ancient Four Treasures of Scholars still play an important role in our lives. For example, many artists and designers still choose to create one-of-a-kind pieces by hand. At the same time, traditional stationery has also been developed in modern times, such as high-grade fountain pens, high-quality paper, and so on. These all show that no matter how advanced science and technology are, the charm of the four treasures of the study and stationery culture cannot be replaced.
The four treasures of the ancient Chinese study and stationery culture are an important part of Chinese culture, and they represent the spiritual pursuit and aesthetic concept of the Chinese people. By understanding and passing on this tradition, we can better understand and appreciate China's historical, cultural and artistic values.