✳︎Book Title: The Four Treasures of the Study - Heibonsha Color New Book 124 ✳︎Author: Setsuson Uno ✳︎Publisher: Heibonsha Co., Ltd. ✳︎Publication Date: February 8, 1980, First Edition, First Printing ✳︎Pages: 144p ✳︎Size: B5 《Table of Contents》 Color Inkstones Brushes Ink Paper Text Brushes, Ink, Inkstones, Paper The Colors of Antique Study Furnishings The History of Literati and Antique Study Furnishings The History of the Four Treasures of the Study An Introduction to the Four Treasures of the Study The Appearance and Form of Famous Inkstones The Taste of Ancient Ink The Refinement Embodied in Ink Colors The Ephemeral Fate of Paper Various Study Furnishings Inkstone Materials Brush Pots Water Droppers Inkstone Screens Ink Pastes Brush Rests Brush Pots Brush Washers Ink Boxes Paperweights Armrests (Cushions for the Arm) The World of Various Study Furnishings Stone Inkstone Materials Brush Rests Brush Pots and Paper Tubes Water Droppers Paperweights Armrests (Cushions for the Arm) Curious Stones Ink Boxes Inkstone Screens Ink Stands Ink Pastes Bronze Ware Rubbings of Inscriptions Japanese Study Items and Their Appreciation History For those who enjoy calligraphy, or for those who wish to delve into the depths of antique study furnishings. This book, "The Four Treasures of the Study," is a record of "beauty in utility" and "stone texture" as seen through the discerning aesthetic eye of Setsuson Uno. We will explain the "awe-inspiring" aspects of this book, focusing on three key points. ① Observing the "stone texture" that rejects and yet enhances ink. The highlight of this book lies in its approach to famous inkstones such as Duanxi and Taohua Green Stone. It does not praise ornate decoration, but rather adopts a perspective that quietly assesses the "quality of the cutting edge" and the "flow of ink." For masterpieces like the Lanting Inkstone and Penglai Inkstone, it emphasizes the aged texture – how the stone has "received the ink of literati" over countless years – rather than the intricacy of the carving. The composition allows the reader to perceive the "solitary spirit" that literati entrusted to the stone, even from a single shadow in the photograph. ② The Universe of Bamboo and Ceramics in "Brush Holders." The chapter on brushes, starting from page 22, dedicates considerable space to the diversity of "brush holders," even more so than the quality of the brush tip. Lacquerware, carved red lacquer, and even Wanli period blue and white porcelain – the weight and coolness of these tools as they fit in the hand. It continues with a rigorous commentary that evokes the "feel" transmitted to the fingertips at the moment of creation, despite these items being more than mere utilitarian objects, but rather works of craft. ③ The "Tuning" of the Study through "Various Study Furnishings." From water droppers and ink pastes, to "armrests" and "inkstone screens," and even "curious stones," how is the space regulated at the moment the brush is set down? The act of "writing" is not confined to mere dots and lines, but is presented as a "small universe" that includes the "patina" of stone inkstone materials and bronze ware that surround it. ◉⤵︎Search Terms Below • Kobaien • Ikkyu-en • Kubota Gou • Bokunodo • Akashiya • Shorindo • Shanghai Ink Factory • Lao Hu Kai Wen • Cao Sugong • Kuretake