Development course of blue inkstone in Helan Mountain

The famous He Lanyan is a traditional handicraft in Ningxia with a history of more than 200 years. In the 200-volume series of Contemporary China, Contemporary China Arts and Crafts includes eight famous artists, namely, Duanyan,, and, who ranks fourth.

Helan stone was mined in Kangxi period of Qing Dynasty. Lan Yan River is named after the stone produced in Helan Mountain in Ningxia. Its materials are divided into two types: Qianshan stone and Houshan stone. Qianshan stone is distributed in Bijiashan area, with a slightly coarse texture and less colored stones. The stone produced after the peak of Dasigou in Xiaogongkou Houshan is called Houshan Stone. Compared with the former stone, this kind of stone is more delicate in texture and rich in color, and it is easy to be made into an inkstone.

According to the Records of Ningxia Prefecture in Gan Long, Bijia Mountain stands at the mouth of a small rolling bell in Helan Mountain, and the three peaks stand like pens. Purple stone can be called inkstone, which is popular at Helan end. Helan stone is simple and elegant, with beautiful shape and delicate stone. And natural purple-green, purple-embedded green, green-embedded purple, set each other off into interest, unique, made of inkstone, comparable to the famous Guangdong Duanyan and Anhui She Yan at home and abroad, deeply cherished and respected by literati, known as a Duanyan, Erli inkstone, Three Helan reputation.

Helan stone is a kind of water rock with uniform structure, fine texture and combination of rigidity and softness. Purple and green are naturally intertwined and beautiful. Some stones are inlaid with special structures such as jade belt, moire, eyebrow eye and stone eye, while others are like grotesque patterns such as mountain streams, flowers and birds, figures, insects and fish, which are naturally interesting, elegant and beautiful, and are excellent raw materials for making ink stone and other handicrafts.

Helan inkstone has fresh patterns and strange shapes. When you knock on the door, you will see water. Water is not consumed, ink is smooth, ink is silent, and pen does not draw. After stamping, the remaining ink in the inkstone will stink for a few days. Helan stone is the best purple end, followed by sheep liver color and bean green.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, there were only three or four inkstone artists in Ningxia (now Yinchuan), with simple tools, simple production and rough inkstones. Later, an inkstone craftsman was invited from Jiangnan to teach the skills. The method is improved and the craft is becoming more and more exquisite, which makes He Lan Yan not only have the bold and unconstrained style of Saibei, but also have the delicate and dexterous charm of Jiangnan.

During the Republic of China, there were more and more inkstone artists. Among them, Yan He and Yan Wannian were famous inkstone artists in Ningxia at that time. The inkstone they made is called Yan Jiayan, and the price is about a dozen modern oceans. If sculptors add figures, landscapes and flowers and birds, the price is even higher.

He Lan Yan pays attention to "phase stone" and "clever color". Phase stone is to look at the texture, direction and texture of the stone, as well as the size, thickness and natural shape of the stone; Clever color means that craftsmen design patterns and levels according to the number, size and distribution position of purple emeralds, brew several layers of colors and plan which patterns. The finished product should make the whole inkstone face purple, subtle and elegant, and highlight the theme. Prices range from several hundred yuan to thousands of yuan.