Unlock the four treasures of the Millennium Sture and be the top player of Chinese trend culture
When the four treasures of the bedroom become fashionable, the aesthetics of the ancestors are crazy.
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Paper, brush, ink, and inkstone have been China’s cultural pillars for millennia, shaping both heritage and global civilization.
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From imperial tools to artistic symbols, they carry poetry, art, and myths, defining the pinnacle of Eastern aesthetics.
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Papermaking rewrote human history; today, these treasures remain viral cultural IPs, with Huzhou brushes and Xuan paper ruling as "luxury heritage brands" in the Guochao era!
The Four Treasures of the Study – namely paper, brush, ink, and inkstone – are traditional Chinese tools for writing and painting. These instruments have played a pivotal role in promoting Chinese culture and advancing global civilization, maintaining their significance even today. The term "study" (文房) originated during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, referring to "the imperial institution overseeing literary affairs." By the Tang Dynasty, it evolved into a space for scholars to read, paint, collect antiquities, display artworks, host gatherings, and appreciate cultural relics, distinguishing it from ordinary private libraries.
In ancient studies, paper, brush, ink, and inkstone were essentials, alongside display cabinets for antiquities and musical instruments, chess sets, calligraphy, and paintings for intellectual gatherings. Scholars emphasized refined tools and cultivated an atmosphere of elegance and sophistication. The collective term "Four Treasures of the Study" emerged gradually. Brushes and ink trace back 3,000 years, while standardized inkstones and paper became prevalent over 2,000 years ago during the Western Han Dynasty. Pre-Tang literati often praised these tools individually in poems and essays. Li Yu, the Southern Tang emperor and renowned poet-artist, cherished "Chengxintang paper." During the Five Dynasties, Chengxintang paper, Li Tinggui's ink, and Longwei inkstones were collectively called the "Three Treasures of Xin'an," categorized by their regional origins. Song scholar Su Yijian’s Four Treasures of the Study pioneered systematic research on these tools, cementing the term. Poet Mei Yaochen’s verse – "The Four Treasures hail from two prefectures, now beloved by you and me" – popularized the phrase. Today’s finest representatives are Huzhou brushes, Duan inkstones, Huizhou ink, and Xuan paper.
Brush
The brush, China’s unique writing instrument dating back three millennia, has grown alongside Chinese civilization, embodying the nation’s wisdom and cultural essence. Through brushes, humanity inherited vast classical texts, historical records, poetry, stone rubbings, and masterpieces of calligraphy and painting. This tool has profoundly contributed to disseminating Chinese culture and propelling global civilization.
Ink
Ink’s role in developing and spreading Chinese culture – and by extension, world civilization – is immeasurable. Over three thousand years, ink evolved from handmade pellets to molded forms and eventually into exquisitely decorated art pieces. Countless master ink-makers throughout history left behind priceless cultural legacies. Ink also served as a medium for scholarly exchange, as reflected in Su Shi’s poem Sun Cuilao Sends Ink: "This ink I dare not use, but present to Penglai Palace / Where eternal spring bathes the three halls in light / Golden paper adorned with feibai script, auspicious mist coiling like rainbows." Acquiring fine ink was indeed a sublime pleasure!
Inkstone
The inkstone’s evolution mirrors China’s social and cultural development. Pre-Tang inkstones prioritized functionality, but from the Tang-Song period onward, their ink pools expanded to meet artistic demands. Scholars began inscribing poems and mottos on inkstones, transforming them into canvases for intellectual expression. By the Qing Dynasty, literati inkstones flourished, with craftsmen showcasing intricate designs featuring historical anecdotes, myths, and auspicious motifs.
Paper
Papermaking, alongside gunpowder, the compass, and printing, comprises China’s Four Great Inventions. The preservation of millennia-old Chinese culture owes much to paper’s invention, which enabled written records. As the material foundation of Chinese cultural development, paper also significantly contributed to global cultural exchange and progress.
Star8s is inspired by "lake pen, emblem ink, rice paper, and ink" to create a new Chinese-style four-treasure set for the bedroom.
✨ The lake pen reproduces the wolf hair craft of the Song Dynasty, the pen blade is like a sword, and the writing turns into a "Lanting Preface" experience card in seconds!
✨ Hui ink is integrated with the incense of ancient pine smoke, and when grinding, it is like crossing Su Dongpo's moon study.
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