Xuchang Ink-Washing Pool

Xuchang Ink-Washing Pool

Introduction:

Located beside Fuquan Well in Laocheng Town, Changge, the pool is rectangular, measuring 80 meters in length, 30 meters in width, and 1–3 meters in depth. The water is dark ink-blue in color and never dries up even during prolonged droughts. Beside the pool is a raised platform known as Zhong Yao's Calligraphy Study Platform. In front of the pool stands a stele from 1920 titled "Record of the Reconstruction of the Ink-Washing Pool," which is 0.91 meters tall and 0.4 meters wide. The inscription describes Zhong Yao’s achievements in calligraphy and his dedication to mastering the art, as well as depicting the landscape of the reconstructed Ink-Washing Pool. It is said that during the Three Kingdoms period, the great calligrapher Zhong Yao often invited Hu Zhao to practice calligraphy on the platform, diligently studying the techniques of his predecessors. Over time, the brushes worn down from practice piled up like a mountain, and the used paper and silk accumulated in heaps. The constant washing of brushes and inkstones turned the entire pool black. After the liberation, the People's Government carried out restoration and preservation work on the site.

Xuchang, Henan