A heritage to hold dear

A rich cultural legacy has been nurtured in Zhejiang province for centuries, Cheng Yuezhu reports

Writing brushes

Among the scholar's four treasures of ancient China, the writing brush is listed as the most important, followed by ink, paper and inkstone. As a particular type, the Huzhou ink brush has been celebrated by scholars from ancient times to the present day.

The hometown of this brush is Shanlian in Huzhou, Zhejiang province. Historical records show that the town was known for its brush-making industry as early as the Jin Dynasty (266-420). The materials for making the Huzhou ink brush are meticulously selected.

The actual brush, for example, is of high-quality goat hair, classified according to its shape, texture and length, and its manufacture involves more than 70 procedures.