My calligraphy box

I purchased this box to take home with me. It is a rather battered box (will probably be more battered by the time I get home to Australia), but its contents are fascinating.

The contents are: 3 calligraphy brushes, a plate to mix your ink, and an ink stone to the right. Just add water and grind it in the dish to the colour/consistency that you require. There are three pieces of blue and white china (and I have a collection of blue and white china pieces at home). One is the rest for the calligraphy brushes, to use when you are creating.

To the right of the brush rest is a space for two "chops" these are the little stamps that have Chinese characters carved into the stone. The blue and white bowl below the brush rest contains a red pasty substance which you use with your chop. Just push the chop into it, and then stamp away.

On the right is a little bowl, with tiny brass spoon to hold additional link.

In China if someone is a writer - it is often considered that he or she, not only creates the story but writes it in Chinese characters. Of course that is what the old writers did - using these wonderful brushes, wonderful paper, often made of bamboo, and hey presto.

I'm not sure what I will do with it in Australia, but one day I might try to create something with my Chinese calligraphy set.