(MASTER OF CRAFTS) CHINA-GUANGDONG-ZHAOQING-DUAN INKSTONE-INHERITOR (CN)

(MASTER OF CRAFTS) CHINA-GUANGDONG-ZHAOQING-DUAN INKSTONE-INHERITOR (CN)

(231113) -- GUANGZHOU, Nov. 13, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Liu Xinxiang introduces the carving of Duan inkstone according to a designed pattern at a Duan inkstone cultural village in Zhaoqing City, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 26, 2023. Duan inkstone, dating back to the Wude Period (618-626) of the Tang Dynasty, has a history of about 1400 years. Made with stones from the area near Duanxi creek of Fuke Mountain in the eastern suburb of Zhaoqing City (once named Duanzhou) in south China's Guangdong Province, the inkstone is therefore called "Duan inkstone", or "Duanxi inkstone". Known for its fine, tender and smooth texture, Duan inkstone is listed as one of the four famous inkstones in China together with Shexian inkstone, Yaohe inkstone and Chengni inkstone. The making crafts of Duan inkstone, including stone exploiting, base shaping, designing, carving, polishing, packaging and waxing, was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage in 2006. And the city of Zhaoqing was named the "city of inkst

CHINA-SHANXI-CHENGNI INKSTONE-INHERITOR (CN)

CHINA-SHANXI-CHENGNI INKSTONE-INHERITOR (CN)

(230216) -- YUNCHENG, Feb. 16, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Lin Xiaolin carves on a Chengni inkstone in a studio in Xinjiang County in Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. Chengni inkstone, one of the "four famous inkstones" in China, is known for its fine texture which can reduce harm done to the brush. Due to various reasons, the time-honored craft of making Chengni inkstone had once been lost and was later brought back by Lin Yongmao and his son Lin Tao in Xinjiang County. It takes over a year and more than 10 steps to make a Chengni inkstone. In 2008, the craft of making Chengni inkstone was listed as one of China's national intangible cultural heritages. As the third-generation inheritor of the craft of making Chengni inkstone, Lin Xiaolin knew the craft well since his childhood. In 2019, he innovated the production of Chengni inkstone with his knowledge on ceramics after returning from studying abroad. By controlling the temperature of the kiln, he increased the colors of Chengni inkst