What's so interesting about wenwan?

From pen, ink, paper, inkstone to cage bird, and then to hand-string rosary, you can play with words and become attached to them.

Wenwan refers to the study furniture derived from Four Treasures of the Study, which becomes the artistic decoration in the study and on the case. From the beginning, the most basic traditional pen, ink, paper and inkstone, until the Ming and Qing Dynasties, its supporting stationery was improved and derived: pen holder, paperweight, ink bed, arm rest (commonly known as hand pillow), inkstone drops, pen washing, etc. (in order of pictures).

derivatives of brush, ink, paper and inkstone:

penholder: a study tool used to put aside and hang brushes in ancient times, which has a history of more than 1,5 years.

paperweight: stationery used to press paper when writing and painting, also known as pressure ruler and weight ruler, has been used for more than 15 years.

Ink bed: also known as ink table and ink shelf, it was used to shelve Mo Ding's small case shelf in ancient times, which appeared as early as the Yuan and Song Dynasties, but historical materials were only recorded in the Qing Dynasty.

Armrest: commonly known as hand pillow, which was used by the ancients to rest the arm when writing and painting. It was invented in the Ming Dynasty to prevent the sleeves from being stained with ink and relieve the pressure on the arm.

inkstone drops: also known as water drops and book drops, are used to store inkstone water for grinding ink. Those with mouths are called "water injection" and those without mouths are called "Shuicheng".

Pen washing: a vessel for holding water-washing pens, which is a Han handicraft.

These derivatives of the study range from wood products to porcelain products, and then to jade and gem carving. They were constantly updated and improved, and it was not until the Tang and Song Dynasties that they really realized their due status and value, that is, the period when the art of calligraphy and painting tended to be mature and perfect.

bird fighting cricket with cage:

bird fighting cricket with cage is called the legacy of the Eight Banners. When the Qing soldiers attacked the Central Plains, in order to facilitate the command, the Qing emperor divided the Qing soldiers into eight flags (red, yellow, blue, white and red, yellow, blue and white flags) to lead the three flags themselves, and handed the rest over to his sons. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in order to reward the Eight Banners nobles and allow them to idle around all day and eat the imperial grain forever, there was this kind of leisure. Later, it evolved into a behavior culture, mainly a hobby used by relatively affluent people for recreation and killing time.

wenwan walnut:

speaking of wenwan, walnut is the most worth mentioning. Wenwan Walnut, also known as "Palm Pearl", was called "Kneading Walnut" in ancient times. It originated in the Han and Sui Dynasties, prevailed in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and prevailed in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It has been popular for more than 2, years, forming a unique walnut culture in the world. Tomorrow, Emperor Zhu Youxiao will not only stick to walnuts, but also unofficial history who will carve walnuts. During the Qianlong period, there were eunuchs who specialized in serving walnuts. There is an old saying in the late Qing Dynasty-"Baylor has three treasures in his hand: walnuts, fingers and caged birds". It can be seen that walnuts are of great significance in the history of wenwan!

Controversial wenwan, Chaozhu and snuff bottle:

Chaozhu is derived from Buddhist beads, and belongs to the string of beads worn in the court clothes of the Qing Dynasty, with a total of ***18, and there is a larger pearl among every 27, with * * * four. In a strict sense, Chaozhu cannot be classified as wenwan, but the material of Chaozhu is classified as modern wenwan. Snuff bottle, simply speaking, is an object containing snuff, which is usually hung at the waist. Snuff bottles are imported products, which were introduced to China in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. Their popularity in China only lies in their functions and the identity they can reveal.

Derived from materials for wenwan:

Later, bracelets, rosary beads and hand-held pieces that are easy to play are all called wenwan. The materials include wood products such as rosewood, huanghuali and Thuja, seeds such as King Kong and Xingyue, and gems such as amber, green pine and coral, and finally they all enter the ranks of wenwan in terms of materials.

The category of wenwan develops rapidly:

Nowadays, the category of wenwan develops very rapidly. No matter what material or category it is, it is called wenwan as long as it can be played with hands. Therefore, the final definition of wenwan can be summarized as: it has certain historical significance, certain cultural background and certain play value. No academic research can give wenwan a full explanation. With the change of the times, the original cultural concept has been more or less innovated in the process of inheritance, and finally the explanation of wenwan keeps pace with the times!

The original article written by Ning Haowen is reproduced with authorization and the source indicated!