From red and swollen fingers comes majestic ink decked in black

Tiangong Kaiwu, published in 1637, is regarded as one of the first encyclopedias recording handcraft production in China. Its chapter on ink calls the Hui ink stick, made by artisans in Huizhou, now known as Huangshan, in Anhui province, the best of its kind.

In ancient China the ink brush, the ink stick, Xuan paper and the ink stone were regarded as the four treasures of study. For centuries the ink stick produced in Shexian, Huangshan, has been reputed for its quality.

In 1915 the Globe ink stick, made by China's most well-known ink workshop, Hu Kai Wen in Shexian, won the gold award at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.