Fish-shaped cinnabar chengni clay inkstone from Tianjin Museum

This Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) cinnabar red inkstone was made of chengni clay with a bright, lustrous color. The front face of the inkstone is sculpted in the shape of a fish, while the reverse side is formed into a black lotus leaf, conveying the traditional Chinese wish for abundance year after year (lian nian you yu).

The inscriptions on the reverse tell the story of a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) scholar gifting this inkstone to his friend, a testament to the cultural value placed on this rare treasure.

Donated in 1954 by collector Xu Shizhang (1889-1954), this exquisite inkstone now resides at Tianjin Museum.

Chengni refers to refined, sedimentary clay, often used for high-quality inkstones due to its smooth texture and durability.