Ink brush | |||||||
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![]() Ink brush with golden dragon design, used by the Wanli Emperor (1563–1620). | |||||||
Chinese name | |||||||
Traditional Chinese | 毛筆 | ||||||
Simplified Chinese | 毛笔 | ||||||
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Vietnamese name | |||||||
Vietnamese alphabet | bút lông | ||||||
Hán-Nôm | 筆𱻢 | ||||||
Korean name | |||||||
Hangul | 붓 | ||||||
Hanja | 筆 | ||||||
Japanese name | |||||||
Kanji | 筆 |
Writing brushes (traditional Chinese: 毛筆; simplified Chinese: 毛笔; pinyin: máo bǐ) are a cross between pens and paintbrushes used in Chinese calligraphy as well as in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese which all have roots in Chinese calligraphy. They are also used in Chinese painting and other brush painting styles. The ink brush was invented in China around 300 B.C.[1][2] Together with the inkstone, inkstick and Xuan paper, these four writing implements form the Four Treasures of the Study.