Expert: Zhaoqing is known for its high quality inkstone carving. (JP/Nani Afrida)

Zhaoqing in Guangdong province, China, is famous for its beautiful scenery, but few know that the city is also a producer of the most beautiful and best quality inkstone in China.

People use inkstone as the ink plate for calligraphy. Inkstone usually has fine detail quality in its craft, reflecting ancient Chinese culture.

“Only some people like artists or intellectuals can appreciate inkstone and its beauty. Now many people collect inkstone as a status symbol,” Wang Jian Hua, the secretary-general of the Association of Zhaoqing Inkstone, told reporters during a visit to Zhaoqing recently.

 

With care: A man carves inkstone in Zhaoqing, China. (JP/Nani Afrida)Zhaoqing was a primitive inkstone village 1,000 years ago, and dynastic kings and queens obtained their inkstones from this city.

Today, households in some villages in Zhaoqing produce their own inkstone, as they can find the material easily in the area.

Compared to other areas in China, Wang acknowledged that the price for inkstone from Zhaoqing is quite expensive because of the quality of the stone and the craftsmanship. For one piece of inkstone of a standard size and quality, the price is around 100,000 reminbi or US$16,000.

However, Wang said that people can also own an inkstone for 200 to 400 reminbi. Of course, the quality is not as good.

The high price of inkstone also demonstrates an appreciation for the craftsmen who use their rare skills to carve the stone. In Zhaoqing, the best craftsmen are paid around 3,000 reminbi a day to carve the best quality inkstone.

It requires 10 steps to create an inkstone, including selecting the proper stone, carving the stone, polishing the stone and coloring the stone.

A craftsman needs at least 15 days to make a good inkstone, but the best inkstones require around 6 months of work.

“If you want to be an inkstone craftsman, you should learn from a master,” Wang said, adding that inkstone masters usually had various motifs in mind.

Liang Peiyang is one inkstone master in Zhaoqing. The 43-year-old has an inkstone factory with dozens of craftsmen. Liang started his career as a craftsman when he was young, and so far he has produced several masterpieces that have made him one of the most popular inkstone craftsmen in China.

Priceless: This inkstone is expertly carved and the yellow dots are extremely rare. (JP/Nani Afrida)

One of Liang’s masterpieces is an inkstone that has a dragon holding a ball on its tongue. The piece has many yellow dots like eyes.

Liang recalled that he spent 11 months carving the dragon inkstone and had little time to sleep.

“I was very excited when I knew the material had yellow dots like eyes. It is very rare for inkstone. I was even happier when I knew I could make one of the dots seem like the ball on the dragon’s month,” he said.

Liang believes that the masterpiece was a good luck charm because after he finished the inkstone he gained many benefits. For instance, he started receiving more money and one of his sons was able to resume his education and move on to a higher grade.

“The piece is priceless,” he said, refusing to reveal how much he would sell the piece for.

As the city has gained many benefits for being the producer of the highest quality inkstones, the authorities are now busy limiting stone exploration in the area.

“Not all mines can be explored. Now the company has strict requirements as to how to exploit the stone in order to prevent over mining,” Wang said, adding that the effort could be very important in preserving the environment in Zhaoqing.

Although Wang acknowledged that the policy may influence the production of inkstone in the future, he is optimistic that production can remain stable.

“Inkstone production contributes 400 million reminbi to Zhaoqing anually, we will try to balance production and environmental preservation,” he said.

Zhaoqing usually produces 10,000 to 20,000 pieces of inkstone every month. The majority is sold within China while 20 percent of the total production is exported to Korea, Singapore and Japan.

“We share the same culture with these countries,” Wang said, smiling

— Photos by JP/Nani Afrida