Chinese Calligraphy Brush Set
(written by R.C. Conner "Penspotters" RickConner.net)
OK, these aren't fountain pens. Heck, they aren't even pens at all, they're brushes. Nevertheless this beautiful set contains examples of the traditional tools used in China (and elsewhere in eastern Asia) for many centuries in the subtle combination of writing and abstract painting that is known as Chinese calligraphy (or, for the Japanese, Sumi-e). This is a complete kit, in fact, lacking only paper and a bit of water. I received this set as a gift from a dear Chinese friend.
The two brushes are traditional in design, with decorative cloisonné-like shafts and brightly-colored string loops at the end (for hanging them on a rack to dry). One has what I was told are wolf-hair bristles (which are stiffer and good for linear strokes), and the other apparently has goat-hair bristles (softer, for shading effects). As delivered, the brushes are stiffened with starch, which one removes (through soaking in lukewarm water) before use. In use, the brushes are gripped gently in the fingertips (so they can be manipulated easily just by moving the fingers slightly) and held perpendicular to the paper; you don't put your arm or hand on the paper, and the paper has often come off a roll, so you usually need paperweights of some sort to keep the paper in place as you paint.
A traditional embossed and decorated Chinese ink stick is included; you grind this stick into the slate pestle or ink-stone (maintaining a good Zen-like meditative frame of mind) then add water to get a permanent black ink. Two blank onyx-like lion-headed dies or "chops" are included; you can have your name or some other message carved into the face of the chop, and then use it with the red paste ink to sign your work. The set is rounded out with a decorative porcelain water-dish and brush rest, and the whole assemblage is nicely packaged in a beautifully lacquered and decorated wooden chest lined with a velour-like