The ink slab is indispensable for Chinese calligraphy . It originated very early . Most ancient ink slabs unearthed by archaeologists were made in the Western Han Dynasty , when their forms were basically established . The ink slab is also called ink stone or ink tile , and is a Special Chinese cultural instrument , known as one of the “four treasures in a study” . It was considered by ancient Chinese as the first treasure of the four treasures . The ink made by grinding an ink stick on a good ink slab is fine and smooth and suiting the brush . Either for calligraphy or painting it is indispensable . At the same time a good ink slab concentrates in it the art of painting , calligraphy , sculpture and word carrying , making itself not only a valuable practical cultural instrument but also a handicraft with a high artistic value .
Generations of Chinese painters and calligraphists have counted on the ink stick to add to the artistic effect of their works . The lampblack ink stick is made of selected refined lampblack and pure cowhide glue mixed with musk , borneol , gold foil and some traditional Chinese medicinal spices in strict conformance with age-old traditional methods and formula . Its outstanding features are : It is solid and emits ink readily . Its ink is black with a luster like a purple jade , endurable and not fading . It will not clog when the brush is pressed , and will not halo on paper , It is fragrant and anti-corrosion . Words written with it are very when dark and not grayish when light . It can show 
gradations . So the lampblack ink stick is good for calligraphy and painting .
The pine soot ink stick is made of especially fine pine soot . After rinsing and sieving , the pine soot is mixed with cowhide glue , borneol and precious Chinese medicinal spices . The ink of such ink stick is dark and not lustrous , suitable for repairing old paintings and calligraphical works , The colored ink sticks include red , yellow , blue , white and green ink sticks . Besides being used for coloring of the traditional Chinese painting , it is also used for other graphics .
