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Yi River ancient inkslab. First produced in ancient Yichou(nowadays Yi county in Hebei Procince)is one of the nost famous inkslabs along with Guangtong Duanartifacts for export.

The stone material for YiRiver Inkslab such as "purple jadeite ", "Jade_belt stone"is greyish purple sedimentary rock with natural yellow or green stripes with a feature of fine and delicate texture. Medium hardneww. Quick to form ink and no hurt to hair, smooth and easy for ink flow and gard to evaporate for ink, which is the most important characteristics for forming ink, storing ink, dipping in ink and trimming the brush. According to history of Yi County it reads as follows "the inkslab were produced in Taitan Village", "whose material can match Duan River Inkslab", and "the stone is puple, grren or white with fine texture and apporpriage hardness suitable for inkslab", Yi River Inkslab were chosen as tribute to royal court early in song Dynasty and among Ming and Qing collection in the Imperial Palace there were some treasure of Yi River Inkslab. The Famous connoisseur of Song Dynasty. Zeng Youru offered his appraisal as follows: The stone is delicate and hard with a pure and tender color, smooth and does not reject ink, unsmooth but not obstructive and when added some pine soot in the ink the color will be more fresh. The andalusite ferromudestone state with good granule fineness and micro-structure which are easy to porcess is a supreme choice and the stone was first mined from Bailin Temple on south bank of Yi River and late4r from near the Han xiangzi Cave and Huang Boyang Cave of Zhongnan Mountain. "In the morning I raise my eyes to the jade scripture on Zhongnan Mountain like floating pure white silk, and in the depths of the mountains there must be so many stone sculptors" this is a poem to praise the inkslab as white as jabe and its exquiste workmamship.

So far Yi River Inkslab is not only famous for its supreme materal but also its perfect workmanship. In respect of different shapes of material the craftsman cut them into different shapes such as landscape, flowers, fishes and worms, animals, figures with various carving techniques such as relief, plane and three-dimension carving etc. And those absolutely life-like scriptures are a perfect combination of stillness, motion, sound and feelings among whom the tortoise inkslab, silkworm inkslab, dragon inkslab, lute inkslab chess inkslab are the most treasured.

Now Yi River Inkslab has been included in the book chinese Native and Special products by The people's Publishing House. To carry forward this cultural heritage and pormote cultural exchanges, we welcome friends from all walks, foreignes, countryman residing abroad to our factory to select or place order here and good service will be guaranteed.