Wuyuan Ink

Wuyuan Ink

　　The production of ink in Wuyuan dates back to the Southern Tang Dynasty. As Wuyuan was formerly part of Anhui’s Xin’an Commandery and Huizhou, Wuyuan ink is also known as “Xin’an Ink” or “Huizhou Ink.” The craft of making Huizhou Ink has a history of over 1,000 years, with a wide variety of types including light smoke, oil smoke, pine smoke, full smoke, clean smoke, reduced glue, and added phase. These come in three grades: high, medium, and low. High-grade Huizhou Ink includes varieties such as Chaoding Lacquer Smoke, Tong Oil Smoke, and Special Grade Pine Smoke. Huizhou Ink is known for its deep black luster, resistance to bleeding on paper, non-stickiness when used with brushes, long-lasting color retention, rich fragrance, and anti-corrosion and anti-moth properties. It has been an essential tool for painters and calligraphers throughout history.

　　 　　According to the *New An Chronicles*: “Ink from Xin’an was famed for Huangshan, but for decades now, it has been produced in Huanggang Mountain, Wuyuan. Dai Yanheng and Wu Zi were the most renowned. In the eighth year of the Shaoxing era, Dai Yanheng was recommended to produce ink for the ‘Restoration Hall.’ Initially, he created the ‘Double-Horned Dragon’ design, which was painted by Mi Yuanying (the painter Mi Youren)......”

　　 　　The imperial court “commended Wu Zi’s ink as being of exceptional quality and granted him an extra allowance of twenty thousand coins.” For a time, Wuyuan ink flourished. According to the *Qing Dynasty Famous Ink Collection*, among a hundred renowned ink makers, ten came from Wuyuan. At that time, members of the Zhan family from Hongguan Village in Wuyuan operated over eighty ink shops elsewhere, forming a major branch of “Huizhou Ink.”

　　 　　Wuyuan Ink has been highly regarded in artistic circles for its characteristics of “no bleeding on paper, deep black luster, anti-corrosion and anti-moth properties, and lasting durability.” It enjoys the reputation of “landing on paper like lacquer, preserving truth for all eternity.”

　　 　　Among Wuyuan Inks, there is also a medicinal type called “Ba Bao Ling Dan” (Eight Treasures Elixir), which is highly effective in treating inflammation, detoxification, stopping bleeding, removing blood stasis, and promoting tissue regeneration.

　　 　　The craftsmanship of Huizhou Ink is exquisite, with both sides pressed using carved wooden molds to create patterns of famous paintings and calligraphy. It is a comprehensive art treasure integrating painting, calligraphy, carving, and modeling. Its status as a unique handicraft is not only due to the refined materials used but also because of the complex and difficult-to-master production techniques. A folk poem praises it: “Lighting the ink smoke room is truly hard to endure, stripped and panting one enters the damp pit, burning through lamp oil and draining one’s gall, to leave behind black gold shining for a thousand autumns.”