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Inkstone Artisan | Tung Tso

  • Date:2019-07-23
Inkstone Artisan | Tung Tso


  • Name: 董坐
  • Born: 1953
  • Birthplace: Ershui Township, Changhua County
  • Did You Know That …?
  • Tung Tso, who has carved inkstones for over a half century, is increasingly making the most of his superb skills to craft calligraphy tools for artistic purposes instead of practical use. His amazing artistry led his workshop "Tung Tso Inkstone Art" to be named a "Taiwan Crafts Workshop" by the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute, which confers the title to help excellent Taiwanese crafts makers explore the artistic potential of their trade.
  • Site: http://tungtso.com 



Tung Tso was born in Changhua County's Ershui Township, home to the celebrated "Luo River Inkstones (螺溪石硯)" — inkstones made out of rocks gathered from Luo, the old name of Zhuoshui River.


The river brings the township not only fertile soil but also the raw materials for making the region's famed high-end inkstones – durable, impermeable rocks nicknamed the "Black Jade of Taiwan." The inkstones are known for their extraordinarily hard and sleek texture, which is very friendly to ink brushes, making them favored by calligraphists for over a century. Thanks to the unique resource, many families in this township made their living from the inkstone business.


Tung was born in such a family, mentored by his father Tung Ren-shen (董壬申) who started the family business during the early 1900s. The junior Tung sought to learn all aspects of the trade, from identifying and gathering quality rocks on the river with his father to processing the stones and finalizing each last detail, when he was 17.


The younger Tung began pondering over how to improve the inkstone-manufacturing process and came upon the solution after visiting marble-processing factories in Hualien County, where he saw factories cutting through the hard slabs with machinery. He began to develop handheld electrical tools for his family business after returning from Hualien and, upon the tools' completion, his family workshop enjoyed a considerable increase in both quality and defect-free rates.


Tung noted that the first and foremost thing to consider is the individuality of each rock, which can be judged from its color, luster, and tone. For instance, jet black rocks are suitable for carving creatures like dragons and buffaloes, whereas jujube red and dark green stones are ideal for carving vegetation or fruits. He stressed that although Luo River rocks are very hard, they can be crafted into vividly and lively artistic pieces, serving not just as practical tools for calligraphists but also as collector's items.


Aware that the number of inkstone buyers began sharply dwindling many years ago as a result of the shrinking population that still engages in calligraphic writing or painting, Tung began shifting his business emphasis from making plain, practical inkstones to producing exquisite wares for collection and appreciation.


As a part of his strategic adjustment, Tung opened an inkstone art workshop in 1992 to pass down his knowledge by teaching curious individuals how to evaluate artistic inkstones, how to exert their creativity when designing their own inkstones, and how to hone their appreciative eye by highlighting masterful examples.


In the nine years leading up to 2002, Tung also published five picture albums encompassing his personal artworks over the past 40 years, the stories behind Luo River inkstones, the manufacturing process, design blueprints, and carving techniques.


Each of Tung's works reflects his scholarly spirit and personal sentiments, touching the heart of the beholder with his ingenuity and perseverance in this race against time. After a lifetime dedicated to Luo River inkstones, Tung remains steadfast in his promotion of the regional art form and its culture.