The four treasures of the study

This refers to the four tools used by literati in their study: brush, ink, inkstone, and paper. In ancient China, the study of a literati was called a bunbou (studio) and was respected as a room where one could fulfill one's education, but over time, the term came to refer to the tools used there. The history of the love of stationery dates back to the Han, Wei, and Jin dynasties, but it became popular during the Five Dynasties (907-960) as studies took on a more distinct form. In particular, the Li Tinggui ink, Southern Tang official inkstone, Chōshindō paper, and Wu Boxuan brush, all of which were made by Li Yu of the Southern Tang Dynasty (reigned 961-975), were highly valued and called the "Four Treasures of the Southern Tang Dynasty" (Huizhou Four Treasures), and laid the foundation for the history of stationery. In the Song dynasty, the trend of loving stationery grew stronger, and in the "Summer Vacation Story" (2 volumes) compiled by Ye Mengde, it is written that "It is said that in Shezhou there are four treasures of the study, which are brush, ink, paper, and inkstone." This is the first time that the four treasures of the study are brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. The enthusiasm for stationery reached its peak when Su Yijian, a high-ranking official of the Northern Song dynasty, detailed the four treasures of the study in "Four Pieces of the Study" (5 volumes). The interest of literati in writing continued through the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, and the variety of stationery increased. In "Koban Yoji," written by Tu Long in the late Ming dynasty, there are listed 45 types of stationery, including inkstones, brush trays, brush washers, water bottles, paper, and seals.

The first record of stationery in Japan is in the "Nihon Shoki," which states that in March of the 18th year of the reign of Empress Suiko (610), the Goryeo monk Doncho developed methods for producing paint, paper, and ink, but the "Shosoin documents" contain records of requests for a large number of brushes, ink, and paper for copying sutras, proving that the history of stationery production and use dates back to before the Nara period. Documents describing court ceremonies, such as the "Engishiki" and "Ryo no Gige," from the Heian period, also contain many descriptions of brushes, ink, inkstones, and paper, and calligraphy treatises such as the "Kirinsho," "Yakakuteikisho," and "Saiyosho" provide detailed explanations of how to use them. Furthermore, they frequently appeared in the diaries and narrative literature of the nobles of the time, giving us insight into the reality of their fondness for stationery. In the Edo period, Chinese literati tastes became popular due to the influence of the Ming Dynasty's Tang Dynasty culture, and interest in stationery grew even stronger, leading to the appearance of the term "four treasures of the study" (four friends of literature).

[Mitsuharu Kanzaki]

"Outline of the Calligraphy Study Room" by Shizui Aiura (1968, Mokujisha)" "The Four Treasures of the Study Room" by Sesson Uno (Heibonsha Color Paperback)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

文人が書斎で用いる道具のうち、筆、墨、硯(すずり)、紙の4種をいう。中国では古来、文人の書斎を文房とよび、教養を満たす室として尊重したが、やがて文房はそこで用いる道具類をさすようになった。文房具愛玩(あいがん)の歴史は漢(かん)・魏(ぎ)・晋(しん)代にまでさかのぼるが、五代（907～960）のころ書斎がはっきりした形をとるにつれて盛んになった。とくに南唐の李煜(りいく)（在位961～975）がつくらせた李廷珪(りていけい)墨、南唐官硯(かんけん)、澄心堂(ちょうしんどう)紙、呉伯玄の筆は「南唐四宝」（徽州(きしゅう)四宝）とよばれて珍重され、文房具の歴史の基礎を築いた。宋(そう)代になると文房具愛玩の風潮が強まり、葉夢得撰(せん)『避暑録話』（2巻）に「世言、歙州(きゅうしゅう)有文房四宝、謂(いう)筆墨紙硯也」とあるのが、文房四宝を筆、墨、紙、硯とした初出である。北宋の高官蘇易簡(そいかん)が『文房四譜』（5巻）で文房四宝を詳述し、愛好の気運は最高潮に達した。その後も元(げん)・明(みん)・清(しん)と文人の文房趣味は受け継がれ、文房具の種類も豊富となり、明末の屠隆(とりゅう)著『考槃余事(こうばんよじ)』には、硯山(けんざん)、筆床、筆洗、水注、鎮紙、印章など45種に及ぶ文房具があげられている。

　わが国での文房具に関する記録は『日本書紀』の推古(すいこ)天皇18年（610）3月に、高麗(こうらい)の僧曇徴(どんちょう)が絵の具、紙、墨の製法を将来したという記載に始まるが、『正倉院文書』には写経用としておびただしい数の筆、墨、紙が請求された記録があり、文房具の生産・使用の歴史が奈良時代以前にさかのぼることがわかる。平安時代の『延喜式(えんぎしき)』『令義解(りょうのぎげ)』など、朝廷の儀式について記した文献にも筆、墨、硯、紙についての記述が多く、また『麒麟抄(きりんしょう)』『夜鶴庭訓(やかくていきん)抄』『才葉(さいよう)抄』などの書論書では詳細にその使用法を解説している。さらに当時の公卿(くぎょう)の日記や物語文学にも頻繁に登場し、その愛玩の実態を知ることができる。江戸時代に入ると、明の唐様(からよう)文化の影響で中国的文人趣味が盛行して、文具への関心がいっそう強まり、文房四宝（文宝四友）の語もみられるようになった。

［神崎充晴］

『相浦紫瑞著『書道文房概説』（1968・木耳社）』▽『宇野雪村著『文房四宝』（平凡社カラー新書）』

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