Hello, this kind of container should be called an ink dish or ink pool.

Based on my experience in learning calligraphy, I would like to share with you the tools you need to prepare to practice calligraphy.

One of the calligraphy tools

There are many types of writing brushes. Generally, writing pens can be roughly divided into three categories: soft, hard and neutral. Soft pens include sheep hair, chicken hair, etc. Rigid pens include purple hair (rabbit hair), wolf hair, rat hair, etc. The neutral (neither soft nor hard) pen is called "Jianhao", and there are two types: Sheep Zi Jian and Sheep Wolf Jian.

Whether it is better to use a soft pen or a hard pen to practice calligraphy depends on the size of the characters. It is better to use a soft pen when writing in regular script and official script, and a hard pen when writing in small regular script, running script and cursive script.

The quality of a pen is based on "point", "even", "round" and "healthy". The so-called "point" means that the tip of the pen should be pointed when the bristles are gathered together. The so-called "Qi" means that when you flatten the pen hair, it should look straight. You can use your fingers to twist and flatten the tip of the pen to see if it is even inside and outside, and there is no uneven length like the teeth of a grate. The so-called "round" means that when writing "Yu", all sides are round and smooth. The entire pen must be like a fat bamboo shoot when it was first made into a scholar. It is round and full without any protrusions. The so-called "strong" means that it has strong elasticity and can be twisted open when the new pen is used. Dip some saliva and circle it back and forth on your thumbnail. The pen tip should be round and free without "grabbing hairs" (pen hairs protruding from the side). After circling and lifting, the pen tip will naturally tighten and return to a sharp point. Considering these four conditions together, it can be seen that when choosing a pen, you should choose one with fatter and thicker bristles, rather than one that is thin and thin, so that you can write effectively.

There is glue on the tip of a new pen. After you buy it, you must first soak it in cold water and let it unfold slowly (do not use hot water). Do not twist it hard or bite it open with your teeth. When writing in regular regular script, open one-third of the entire tip of the pen; when writing in large regular script, open half of the entire tip of the pen, not too much or all of it. After writing, you must wash the remaining ink on the pen tip with clean water, squeeze it dry, smooth the bristles, insert it into the pen holder or put on the pen cap. If it is left unused for a long time, camphor should be placed in the box where the pen is placed to prevent moths. These practices are all to protect the pen hairs from damage.

The second calligraphy utensil - paper

The paper used for writing calligraphy is roughly divided into two types: raw and cooked. Raw paper absorbs water, while cooked paper does not absorb water. In our minds, when we talk about rice paper, we may immediately think of raw paper that is completely absorbent. In fact, for a long time in ancient times, cooked paper was used for writing. It is not recommended that you use raw rice paper that is completely absorbent to practice writing, because such paper is too absorbent and can hardly show the subtle changes of the pen on the paper. Of course, there is also a view that the ink on the raw rice paper tape naturally spreads out, and the blurring of the book and traces has a soft-focus beautification and pretense effect.

To lay the foundation for calligraphy practice, you need to work on relatively rough and astringent paper, so the paper should be rough and absorbent. Usually, Yuan Shu paper, rough paper, and Korean paper can be used.

When practicing calligraphy at the beginning, such as practicing center, seal script, and official script, you can use half-cooked or half-cooked Yuanshu paper. When writing in small regular script, it is better to choose something more familiar, such as wax paper. This kind of paper also has considerable requirements for writing skills and precision.

Speaking of paper, there have been many production techniques and corresponding shapes since ancient times, such as colored ones, ones sprinkled with gold and silver, and ones made of various plants and flowers. Gao Lian listed many kinds of paper methods and styles in "Eight Notes of Zunsheng", each with its own interest. He also said that among the five colors of paper and pen, only white, moonlight white and pine flower color are the best and most elegant. Very cute.

The purchasing unit of paper is "knife". A knife of paper is usually one hundred sheets, and under special circumstances, there are fifty sheets. When practicing calligraphy, you can use more handmade paper and less machine-made paper. Machine-made paper often does not hold ink, so it is difficult for the ink to combine with the paper and tends to float on the surface, making it difficult for the words to show their spirit.

When storing paper, pay attention to insect-proof and moisture-proof. Because aged paper has lost its luster, it will be smoother and easier to use. It can display richer levels of pen and ink than new paper, so it is also more valuable.

The third calligraphy tool - ink and inkstone

There are two types of inks for writing: pine smoke and glue ink. Glue ink is the best for practicing calligraphy. When choosing, choose ones that are light in weight and fine in texture (no impurities on them).

Grind the ink gently and slowly, keep the ink flat, and make vertical circles on the inkstone. Do not grind at an angle or push straight. When grinding ink, use less water than too much. If the ink is thickened, add water and grind again. Use clean water to grind ink, not tea or hot water. The ink should be ground to a moderate shade, not too thick or too light.

After grinding, put the ink into the box to prevent it from drying out. It takes a long time to sharpen ink. In order to avoid soreness and fatigue in your right hand, it is best to practice sharpening with your left hand.

Suggestions on how to grind ink

- Drop a small amount of water on the inkstone.

- Place the ink stick vertically on the inkstone hall, press it hard and turn it lightly. Grind clockwise, slowly and lightly. The ancients' saying of "grinding ink like a sick man" highlights the word "slow".

- During the grinding process, add water in batches according to the thickness of the ink. Be patient, grind too fast and the ink will foam easily, grind too slowly and the ink will be drawn out late.

- If you need a large amount of ink, pour the ground ink into the ink sea and continue grinding. You can also pour ready-made bottled ink into an inkstone, add water, grind it with an ink stick for a period of time, and then mix it for use.

- If the ink is stuck in the pen, if you have no special usage habits, you should clean the inkstone in time.

If we write with ink instead of using ink sticks and inkstones to grind the ink like the ancients, we need to prepare an ink saucer to hold the ink and adjust the pen.

There are two key points in choosing an ink disc. One is that it must have a certain weight. A plate that is too light is not suitable, because a larger brush can easily knock over the ink plate with a little force when dipping it in ink and adjusting the tip, causing ink to spill on the table.

The second is that the edge of the ink disk should be suitable for scraping off excess ink on the pen tip and adjusting the tip of the pen. In the past, the ancients also designed small dishes specifically for licking pens, but we now use thoughtfully designed ink dishes instead.

As for the inkstone, it is an indispensable stationery item for writing in ancient times. It is used to grind and hold ground ink. Grinding ink really requires patience. Nowadays we have many things to do, time is limited, and we need to save our energy to write well, so it is recommended to use ink when starting to learn.

If you don’t grind ink, the usage rate of inkstone is actually not high. Now it is more regarded as an elegant and romantic object in the study room, which expresses our appreciation of the life of ancient literati. Affection.

Calligraphy Tools Four—Others

Felt

The felt used as a writing pad on the table is probably the least likely thing that people who don’t write think of as a necessity. equipment.

When writing on raw or unevenly raw paper, ink will easily seep onto the table and the paper will stick to the table. Because of its non-absorbent nature, felt can hold the ink well. If you are using cooked paper, you can put it on a leather pad or write directly on the table, so that the writing surface will be harder and sharper, and the edges will be clearer.

Milk white, gray and some wool felts with low color saturation work well. It is best not to choose felt with high saturation and too bright colors. It will make you tired when you look at it. The paper used for writing and painting usually has a certain degree of transparency, especially for drawing. Brightly colored felt will affect our judgment of colors.

Brush

The water used to wash brushes is called Brush, and in ancient times it was also called Washzi.

It has three main functions. One is to provide water when writing. Water and ink are key to controlling ink color; the other is to moisten the brush. The brush must be moistened before dipping it in ink. Long-term use of thousands of brushes to directly apply ink will damage the brush. The third is to use it to wash the brush.

You can prepare a few more pen washes on the table. When you go out, you can use various water cups and bowls instead.

Paperweights

Paperweights will give us a sense of security when writing, just like its name - paperweights.

If the paper moves while writing, the pen will suddenly lose control or be unable to exert force, so it is very important to press the paper with a heavy object. From an aesthetic point of view, the utensils on the desk reflect different materials, which will create a rich and harmonious aesthetic.

Metal paperweights are easy to use because they are relatively small and heavy enough. In addition, there are also paperweights made of stone or wood. You need to choose the right one, otherwise they may not be compacted tightly, or they may be blocked due to their large size, affecting the movement of the hand and brush.

Bi Shan

Bi Shan is also called a pen rest or pen holder. It is a good friend of the brush. It is where the brush rests when you need to pause while writing. When there is wet ink on the pen, it will be stained everywhere if you are not careful. When it is placed on the edge of the ink tray, it is easy for the brush to roll off and stain the paper or table, so it is very necessary to find a place for it. .

When the brush is properly placed on the brush mountain, there will be a sense of stability and order.

There are many kinds of materials for Bishan, such as porcelain, wood, crystal and jade. You can choose according to your own needs.