19TH CENTURY

The scene on the present ink stone is based on the Lanting Xu, or 'Lanting Preface', originally written by the greatest of all calligraphers, Wang Xizhi (c. AD 307-365), to commemorate the Lanting (Orchid Pavilion) gathering, which took place in the ninth year of the Yonghe reign of the Eastern Jin dynasty (AD 353). Forty-two scholars were invited to the Orchid Pavilion near Shanyin, Zhejiang province, for the Spring Purification Festival, where a scholarly game took place. The participants were challenged to compose poems, having each been given an initial character. Those who produced two poems had to drink one cup of wine, whilst those who only composed one poem drank two cups, and those who failed to compose any poetry at all, were required to consume three cups.