The Four Treasures of the Study
文房四宝
The Four Treasures of the Study are the writing tools with Chinese characteristics. Also known as “ the Scholar’s Four Jewels ”,namely the writing brush, ink-stick, paper and ink-slab.
文房四宝是中国独具特色的文书工具,因笔、墨、纸、砚为文房中经常使用,故被人们誉为“文房四宝”。
The study got its name in the Northern and Southern dynasties, referring only to the study of the literati.
文房之名,始于南北朝时期,专指文人书房而言。
The Four Treasures, varied and colorful,are famous for their hubi (writing brush produced in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province),huimo (ink-stick produced in Huizhou, Anhui Province), xuanzhi (rice paper or xuan paper, made in Xuancheng,Anhui Province),and duanyan (ink-slab made in Duanxi, Guangdong Province).
四宝品类繁多,丰富多彩,以湖笔、徽墨、宣纸、端砚著称,至今仍享有盛名。