Shao Zhiyan Brushes

Shao Zhiyan Brushes

　　Place of Origin: Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province

Product Features: Known for the “Four Excellences”—sharp tip, even edge, round shape, and resilient hair—these brushes are meticulously crafted with an emphasis on refinement.

Product Introduction: In 1862, Shao Zhiyan from Cixi opened a brush shop named “Canhua Studio” at Guanxiangkou in Hangzhou. The shop offered over 400 varieties of brushes, including those made from sheep hair, wolf hair, purple hair, and mixed hair. Among them, premium products such as the “Special Jade Orchid Core,” “Fortune Happiness Celebration,” “Supreme Winter Purple Hair,” and “Northern Wolf Hair” exemplify the “Four Excellences,” also hailed as the “Four Wonders.” These brushes have earned praise from literati and artists in Hangzhou and have won awards at various expos. Over time, the legacy continues today at Shao Zhiyan Brush Shop, now infused with a strong sense of modernity. While retaining its roots as a traditional stationery store, it also embodies elements of traditional culture and craftsmanship. The value of these brushes has become increasingly multifaceted—they offer not only practical use but also growing artistic and collectible worth. On top of preserving the traditional quality of the brush tips, Shao Zhiyan pays special attention to the decorative refinement of brush handles, brush boxes, and hanging ornaments. To cater to diverse tastes, the shop also crafts unique “Lover’s Brushes” made from the hair of couples, symbolizing everlasting love; and “Fetal Hair Brushes,” made from the first shed hair of babies, believed to bring academic success. Leveraging its century-old reputation, Shao Zhiyan has gained international fame and has been used as a token of goodwill in diplomatic exchanges.

Product History: Founded in 1862 during the first year of the Tongzhi reign in the Qing Dynasty, Shao Zhiyan Brush Shop is a time-honored Chinese enterprise specializing in the fine production of various brushes, painting brushes, and the “Four Treasures of the Study.” It is recognized as a designated tourism shopping destination in Zhejiang Province for foreign-related business and is also an export-oriented manufacturer. Since its establishment, Shao Zhiyan Brush Shop has maintained the professional characteristics of a century-old brand. With its high-quality “Zhilan Tu” brand brushes, it has won the favor of customers both domestically and internationally. In recent years, the sales of brushes and painting brushes produced by the shop have continued to expand, gaining increasing popularity in Japan, the United States, Southeast Asian countries, as well as Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Since 1983, the “Zhilan Tu” brand brushes have been designated by the Ministry of Commerce as one of China’s six major famous brush brands. In 1987, they were awarded the “Jade Rabbit Prize” for renowned, excellent, and special products in Zhejiang Province’s commercial industrial sector. In 1992, the “Zhilan Tu” brand’s Purple Bamboo Peak and Ink Interest brushes won the Gold Award at the 5th International Asia-Pacific Expo. In the same year, the “Zhilan Tu” trademark was named one of Zhejiang Province’s Famous Trademarks in its second selection. In 1999, the “Zhilan Tu” brand brushes were recognized by the China Stationery Association as a Famous Brand of the Four Treasures of the Study for the year 1999.