Blue-and-white Inkstone with Heat-trapping Design

This is also an inkstone with heat-trapping design. There is a square opening for input of warm water. However, the shape of this inkstone is greatly different from the Yuan inkstones with heat-trapping design, so it is easy to differentiate between them. In addition, the illustrations on the inkstone surface and sides were popular designs in the Ming Dynasty. Blue-and-white porcelain inkstone was used to grind cinnabar into red ink for marking documents and teaching use. From the quality of the blue-and-white pattern, this inkstone may be an imitation at later times.