Elegant Implements in Ancient Chinese Studies: Beyond the Four Treasures
古人的書房雅器：文房四寶之外的珍玩
When we imagine an ancient Chinese scholar’s study, the “Four Treasures of the Study” (brush, ink, paper, inkstone) immediately come to mind. However, beyond these essentials, numerous elegant implements adorned these intellectual spaces. Let’s explore some remarkable pieces you might recognize.
提到古人的書房，我們首先想到的是「文房四寶」。其實除了筆墨紙硯，文房裡還有很多的雅器。一起來看看，你認識的都有哪些？
01 Brush Rest (筆格)
一、筆格
A brush rest, also known as a brush stand or “brush mountain,” is used to support brushes during pauses in writing or painting.
筆格就是筆架、筆擱、筆山，即架筆之物。
02 Brush Bed
二、筆床
This specialized container held writing brushes. As the Southern Dynasty poet Xu Ling described: “A crystal inkstone box accompanies me all day; a jadeite brush bed never leaves my hand.” Functioning like modern pencil cases, brush beds were crafted from jadeite, ebony, porcelain, and rosewood.
筆床是擱放毛筆的專用器物，南朝徐陵在《玉台新詠序》中說：「琉璃硯盒，終日隨身；翡翠筆床，無時離手。」筆床就像今天的文具盒。其有翡翠、烏木、瓷、紫檀等多種材質。
03 Brush Screen
三、筆屏
A hybrid object combining brush storage with a miniature screen, this implement remained in use until the 1960s–70s.
插筆與袖珍小屏風合體的專用文房用品，一直沿用至上世紀六七十年代。
04 Brush Holder
四、筆筒
A container for holding brushes, nearly identical to modern brush holders.
放置毛筆器物，與今天的筆筒相差無幾。
05 Brush Boat
五、筆船
An oblong container for brushes, typically made of wood, ivory, or jade. Characterized by flared rims, ring feet, and internal brush supports.
盛放毛筆的文房用具。以木、牙、玉質材料製作。多作長方形，口沿外撇，圈足，內設筆擱。
06 Brush Washer
六、筆洗
A vessel for rinsing brush tips, admired for its delicate forms and variety. Crafted from porcelain, jade, agate, enamel, ivory, and rhinoceros horn—mostly precious materials. Porcelain brush washers are the most common.
筆洗，是用來盛水洗筆的器皿，以形制乖巧、種類繁多、雅致精美而廣受青睞。筆洗有很多種質地，包括瓷、玉、瑪瑙、琺瑯、象牙和犀角等，基本都屬於名貴材質。各種筆洗中，最常見的是瓷筆洗。
07 Brush Smoothing Dish
七、筆舔
Part of the “Nine Small Scholar’s Implements” during the Qing Dynasty, this dish helped evenly distribute ink on brush tips after dipping. The set also included brush holders, water jars, brush rests, ink rests, seal paste boxes, paste containers, and paperweights.
筆舔，在清朝屬文具小九件之一，主要用於毛筆蘸墨後把筆尖上的墨抹勻。小九件還包括筆筒、水丞、筆架、墨床、印盒、糨糊盒、鎮紙等。
08 Water Jar
八、水中丞
A container for holding water used in grinding ink, also called a “water receptacle.” Typically made of jade or ceramic.
水中丞供磨墨用的盛水器。亦稱「水丞」。以玉石或陶瓷製成。
09 Water Dropper
九、水注
Also known as a “water drip” or “inkstone dropper,” this utensil held water for grinding ink. Those with spouts are “water droppers”; spoutless versions are “water jars.”
水注，也稱「水滴」「硯滴」。是古代文人磨墨時用來裝水、滴水的文具，注水於硯面供研墨之用，有嘴的叫「水注」，無嘴的叫「水丞」。
10 Inkstone Box
十、硯匣
A case for storing inkstones, preferably made of rosewood, ebony, rosewood, or lacquer.
硯匣又稱硯盒，安置硯台之用。以紫檀、烏木、豆瓣楠及漆製者為佳。
11 Inkstone Mountain (硯山)
十一、硯山
An inkstone carved from a natural stone, shaped into a mountain landscape. Served as both functional inkstone and decorative object.
硯山就是原石製成的硯，依石之天然形狀，中鑿為硯，刻石為山，硯附於山，既可作硯台，又可觀賞。
12 Inkstick Box
十二、墨匣
A storage box for inksticks, usually lacquered to prevent moisture. Often featured gold-traced patterns or mother-of-pearl inlay.
用於貯藏墨錠。多為漆匣，以遠濕防潮。漆面上常作描金花紋，或用螺鈿鑲嵌。
13 Seal
十三、印章
Used for authenticating documents, seals were pressed into pigment before stamping. Those creating embossed impressions without ink were “steel seals.” Some were used with wax seals. Materials included jade, metal, wood, and stone.
印章，用作印於文件上表示鑑定或簽署的文書，一般印章都會先沾上顏料再印上，不沾顏料、印上平面後會呈現凹凸的稱為鋼印，有些是印於蠟或火漆上、信封上的蠟印。製作材質有玉石、金屬、木頭、石頭等。
14 Document Box (書匣)
十四、書匣
A small box for storing books, letters, and invitations.
用於存放書、書札、柬帖的小盒子。
15 Seal Paste Container (印色池)
十五、印色池
A vessel for storing seal paste, commonly made of porcelain or lacquer.
印色池用於蓄藏印泥的器物，多為瓷器或者漆器。
Cultural Significance
文化意義
These implements transcended utility—they embodied the scholar’s pursuit of harmony between function and aesthetics. Each piece reflected Confucian ideals of self-cultivation through orderly, beautiful surroundings.
這些雅器超越了實用性——它們體現了文人對功能與美學和諧的追求。每件器物都透過有序雅致的環境，映照出儒家修身養性的理想。
From 古人的书房都有哪些雅器？
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