She Inkstone Making Technique

She inkstones rank among China‘s four most celebrated inkstones, named after She County in ancient Huizhou (today’s Wuyuan in Jiangxi was historically part of this region). The stone first appeared during the Han and Jin dynasties and gained widespread fame by the Tang. Li Yu, the last ruler of the Southern Tang, declared it “the finest under heaven” and established an official post to oversee its quarrying, elevating the stone’s status ever since. The Song Dynasty marked its golden era, when She inkstones surpassed all others in variety, texture, and carving refinement.

The finest stone comes from Longwei Mountain, classified by veining patterns into five major categories—luowen, meiwen, jinxing, jinyun and yuzi—comprising over a hundred varieties. The stone is both hard and smooth: hard enough to hold its edge, yet smooth enough not to resist the ink. As the saying goes, it "never snags the brush nor repels the ink", earning it the title "the finest among inkstone stones".

The craft centers on carving, involving stone selection, design, shaping, pattern drawing, carving, polishing, and box-making. Master carvers work with the natural veins and colors of each stone, seamlessly blending utility with artistry. Since the 1980s, She inkstone production has revived, winning national gold awards and receiving the "Guozhibao (National Treasure)" designation.