Guangzhou >> Duan Ink Stone Factory

Attraction Typ: Galleries, Palast and Museums

Location: about 120 km from city

Recommend: 4 Star

Duan Ink Stone Factory

The Duan Ink Stone, which was honored as "the four treasures of the study" (Wenfangsibao), is one of the specialties of Guangdong.

The Duan Ink Stone(Chinese:端砚; pinyin: Duānyàn), which was honored as "the four treasures of the study" (Wenfangsibao), is one of the specialties of Guangdong. It produced in Zhaoqing City of Guangdong Province ranks the first among all the ink stones. In the ancient time, Zhaoqing City was named Duanzhou, derived of the original and abundant of the Duan Ink Stone. Duan ink stones have been made since the Tang Dynasty 1,300 years ago.

The Duan Ink Stones are mostly in azure and liver color which are the top grade with the eyelet and parrot eye especially with the emerald color in the eyes. Most of the Duan Ink Stone with the best quality through all of the Duan Ink Stone are found in Lao keng, Song keng and Mazi Keng.

The procedure to make a Duan Ink Stone has four steps: stone picking, selection, engraving and box matching; of which stone picking and engraving are the two most important. Engravings are usually of flying dragons, flowers, birds, figures, mountains and water. The appearance of the Duan Ink Stone is pure, delicate, smooth, tight and solid which makes the ink stone valuable. Be sure to store the Duan Ink Stone in the wood box which is often made of purple sandalwood and rosewood.

Such a good quality ink stone (Duan Ink Stone) with a good quality ink stick will react together to make great ink that will never fade away. Duan Ink Stones are not only for practical use but also an art form.

Duan Ink Stones have various styles, and new-style products are designed one after another, such as Doufang Ink Stones, engraved rectangular ink stones and engraved natural ink stones, etc. The world's largest Duan is called the "Dragon King Ink Stone". It is 9 feet tall, 7 feet wide, 2/3 foot thick and weighs two tons. It is a Chinese Cultural Treasure and is in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is located in the Dinghu Mountain Park of Zhaoqing city.