Ancient Ink Factory
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The area around Huangshan Mountain is famous for its traditional Chinese art supplies; Brushes, paper, inkstones, and inksticks are all made in the area. The Ancient Ink Factory is an interesting site for those interested in Chinese art. Traditionally, ink came in the form of sticks which were ground with water on an inkstone until the correct consistency was achieved for painting or calligraphy. The inksticks are works of art in their own right and how they are made is an intricate and labor intensive process which takes years of study to master.
The Ancient Ink Factory in Huangshan allows visitors to see how ink is made step by step; from the raw ingredients to the finished product. The first step requires getting soot. Traditionally only wood fires were used, but now many times oil is burned to get the soot. Bowls are placed above the fires and the soot collects in the bowls. When a thick layer is achieved, it is scraped out and the bowls replaced. This is done continually. The next step is the soot is combined with a secret mixture of ingredients. One ingredient is always used to add fragrance to the ink sticks. The inksticks are made with organic materials and can start to smell odd after years of storage, so the fragrance is used to cover the smell. This is a good way to tell a quality inkstick from a cheaper one. The mixed ingredients resemble a very firm dough and it is beaten and mixed until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. It is then placed into hand carved wooden molds. Inksticks come in a countless number of shapes and designs. Once the inksticks are shaped in molds, they are placed on racks to dry. The drying process can take as long as a year. The inksticks are then painted. The details of the inksticks are highlighted in different colors. These add beauty to the inksticks and do not harm the paintings they are used to create. The inksticks are then boxed and ready for the market.
Inkstick production has changed very little since it began centuries ago. It is a very interesting process to watch. The ink factory can be added to any of Access China Travel’s China tours..
