Experience a brush with history at workshop

2023-03-20

A Chinese brush.

A new cultural landmark of Shanghai officially raised its curtain in Yangpu District over the weekend, taking visitors on a fascinating journey through the history of Chinese brush and ink and enabling them to experience the everlasting charm of China's intangible cultural heritage.

The Royal Workshop of Chinese Brush and Ink, a 4A national tourist attraction, has two national-level intangible cultural heritage representative protection skills – Zhou Huchen's brush making and Cao Sugong's ink making. Both date back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) during the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722).

It also serves as the demonstration base for the productive protection of Shanghai's national intangible cultural heritage.

It comprises several areas such as an intangible cultural heritage workshop, ink mould treasury, an art exchange center, and an area for interactive experience.

It features the display of Chinese brush and ink cultural relics of Chinese literati and royal families.

The two treasures of the workshop are an inkstick that resembles a ruyi, or a ceremonial scepter, with the cultural connotation: "Everything goes as well as one wishes."

Made during the the reign of Emperor Kangxi, it bears exquisite patterns and is known as the biggest of its kind so far.

An inkstick resembles a ruyi, or a ceremonial scepter, with the cultural connotation: "Everything goes as well as one wishes." It is a highlight of the display.

The other is two big weasel hair Chinese brushes each over nine centimeters long , compared with the traditional three and four centimeters.

Visitors are able to experience important procedures involved in the techniques of inkstick making such as inkstick wiping and gold painting.

"The technique requires utmost perseverance," said Xia Fei, an inheritor of Cao Sugong's ink making. "We hope to encourage and cultivate more young people to carry on the tradition and pass the technique from generation to generation."

Blending intangible cultural heritage with tourism, cultural innovation, science and technology, and research and study, the workshop will host various interactive programs such as learning tours to enrich visitors' experience.

It is expected to become a new highlight of urban tourism, promote traditional Chinese cultural gems and facilitate cultural exchange with foreign countries.