Imre Jakabffy (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 8. (Budapest, 1984)

CHIA-JEN KECSKÉS, Lily: Art and connoisseurship of the ink

later years of his reign, Jen^tsung often bestowed these inks on his close confidants in office and scholars. One type of such inks was called Hsin-an hsiang mo (Fragrant Ink from Hsin-an) ; the other carried the decoration of dragons and phoenixes. Another art-loving Emperor Hui-tsung (1100—1125) was said to have ink made of lampback burnt from su-ho-yu (Liquidambar orientális). Su-ho ink and Li T'ingkuei's inks reached such a value that collectors were willing to pay gold for a piece. The Sung Emperor Hsiao-tsung (1163—1189) rewarded the great inkmaker Wu Tzu with twenty thousand pieces of cash to express appreciation for his inks. During the period of the Sung dynasty Hui-chou region alone sent in, each year, one thousand catties of specially made tribute ink. The imperial collections of the Ming and Ch'ing, such as those of Yunglo (1403—1424), Hsüan-teh (1426—1435) and Ch'ien-lung (1736—1795) contained the finest inks of the centuries made by the most famous inkmakers. Many of them now are scattered in the museums and private collections of the world. The second group of ink collectors were scholars and artists. They collected inks not only out of love for the beauty of ink, but also out of respect for their cultural heritage, especially for ink cakes made, used or collected by famous inkmakers, or great scholars before them. One of the most renowned ink-loving scholars was Su Shih, tzu Tung-p'o (1036—1101) of the Sung dynasty. A poet and painter, he was also an inkmaker and ink collector. His own inks were of two types, one supposedly made by P'an Heng in Hainan, called Hai-nan sung mei (Pine Smoke of Hainan), using Su's recipe; the other was made by himself, using soot from Korea and glue from Kitan (on the north of China).

23 According to Lu Yu, Su Shih had an ink collection of five hundred pieces in different sizes, including inks made by Li T'ing-kuei, Chang Yü and P'an Ku.

24 Chang Jen-hsi stated that Su owned seven thousand ink cakes.

25 An enthusiastic ink collector and humble admirer of good inks, Su was said to have tested thirty-six inks by writing his poems and essays with these inks, comparing their quality and color, indicating at the end of each paragraph which ink he had used. His favorite inkmaker was P'an Ku whom he called the god of ink and compared him with the great T'ang poet Li Po who was called the god of poetry.

26 Writing about Su Shih, Lu Yu lamented that Su, who already possessed seventy wan of fine ink, still tried to obtain more. Su Shih himself laughed at his own activity in pursuing more and more ink for his collection. We can read in Tung-p'o ti pa (Inscriptions by Tung-p'o) accounts of his ink collecting, inkmaking, and his acquisition of inks by famous inkmakers, as well as of inks he acquired from Korea.

27 Su Shih also wrote poems expressing his love for ink. The collecting of ink itself, sometimes, was an object of appreciation, though ink collected might not at all have to be put into use in writing. Su's contemporary and friend, Lü Hsin-fu, who, not being proficient in calligraphy, would collect inks just the same and from time to time would rub some ink into liquid and taste it in small sips. Extreme as this might be, it illustrates the love of ink in China and the desire of collecting ink as one of the most valuable items. Catalogs of Ink Collections There were numerous catalogs of ink collections, especially during the time of the Ming and Ching, written mostly by