Ink grinding stone
With this essay on the Suzuri 硯 we close the publications on the four treasures of Japanese painting and calligraphy or BUNBOUSHIHOU 文房四宝.
“Of the brush and the inkwell
You get two good friends”
Hikkenkayuuwou - A good friend of pen and inkstone
1) Definition, function and parts
Suzuri literally means "ink stones" and has two main areas for ink preparation:
1) - The “hill” or temple of the ink stone, BOKUDOU 墨堂.
2) - The “sea” or well of the ink stone, BOKUCHI 墨池.
To obtain the liquid ink, the stick is rubbed on the "hill" with a small amount of water, while making circular movements. The ink that appears is pushed towards the "sea" and thus a deposit of ink is formed at the bottom of the suzuri.
Its most important feature is its grinding surface, which requires great care as it can easily be scratched and this reduces the uniformity of the ink. It is therefore important not to apply excessive force when rubbing the ink bar on its “hill”.
The strategy is to consciously use the weight of our arm and follow the force of gravity itself. If we press too hard we can damage the surface of the Suzuri, and consequently produce ink with particles that are too large.
After use, the Suzuri should be washed thoroughly and dried naturally by placing it upside down on a clean cloth. This way it will not become dusty and its grinding surface will be protected from damage. If not washed thoroughly, the ink dries, hardens and can permanently ruin the surface of the Suzuri.
In any case, from time to time a thorough cleaning is necessary, which is carried out with special soft stones for washing them called Toishi 砥石, which are used to wash them under water.
The deep part where the already liquid ink is deposited is known as "sea" and the flat part where the ink bar is rubbed is known as "hill"
2) Materials and shapes
Since the 15th century - both in China and Japan - the materials used for the production of inkstones have been glass, jade, precious stones, gold, silver, or even bamboo, among other materials.
Nowadays, the vast majority of this treasure is made of stones of different qualities. During the classes in Japan with our teacher Hikita Masao, we were able to see Suzuris made of ceramic or clay, porcelain, quartz...
As can be seen in the photos, its functionality is not only limited to the practical fact of grinding ink, but it is also - in many cases - an object so beautiful that it is considered to have an aesthetic value in itself.
In fact, there are Suzuris that are exclusively for collecting.
3) The Soul of the Inkstone - The Soul of the Inkstone
But most interestingly there is an image that appears in the collection of Yokai (Konjaku Hyakki Shuui 今昔百鬼拾遺) of Toriyama Sekien (painter and grabber of ukiyo-e).
The image shows a yokai (spirits or demons from Japanese folklore) called Suzuri no Sei 硯の精, which literally translates as "The Spirit of Suzuri." It is found in a war scene between samurai inside a Suzuri, which acts as a ship, supporting the scene, which is accompanied by calligraphy.
It tells the story of a person who was using a ceramic Suzuri and dozing while reading the Heike Monogatari, when suddenly a sea appeared over the Suzuri, resulting in the Battle of Genpei 源平の合戦 , a series of civil conflicts that took place in ancient Japan between 1180 and 1185. It is said that the grudge of Heike - who was defeated in this battle - resides in this stone, and when used, the sound of waves and battle can be heard.
4) A Suzuri bigger than a person
In 2016, on one of our trips to Japan, Elena found by chance (we understand chance as part of the law of resonances) this enormous Suzuri in the Hyakukaen Garden 百花苑 in Arashiyama, Kyoto.
As a monument, it is placed on a pedestal also made of stone on which you can read an inscription in Japanese that says 心洗 (lit. heart – wash).
At the moment, little is known about this unique object, except that it is in the Tenryu-ji temple 天龍寺 and it is said that visiting and honoring it improves the calligraphy of the person who makes it.
It is said that it was used by sixty Buddhist monks who ground ink in it so that the painter Suzuki Shounen 鈴木松年 could make a magnificent Unryu 雲龍 (dragon cloud) on the roof of the Tenryu-ji temple and thus be protected from any evil.
5) Tanabata Festival
In Japan, the Tanabata Festival is celebrated every July 7th during which a ritual called Suzuri Ariai 硯洗い is practiced, which literally translates as "The washing of the ink stone".
On this day, children at school rinse their ink stones, brushes and even their desks with clean water, while asking to be blessed. A clear example of how the sacred character of calligraphy still persists in everyday life in the East.
6) Senkenkai Inkstone Cleansing Ceremony
Literally "to gather together to wash the stones" so that one can admire their beauty, whether it is the stone itself or the carvings and decorations that have been made later. To appreciate this beauty, it is necessary to wet them with a damp cloth or put them in wooden buckets with water so that one can observe them in their maximum splendor.
* Article by Luciana Rago and Elena Hikari. All photos belong to Shodo Creativo.
