Also bunbō shigan 文房四玩, bunbō shiyū 文房四友, and bunbō shikō 文房四候. Lit. the four treasures of the Chinese scholar's study. Painting and calligraphy instruments that include:
1) the brush, fude 筆, originating in China in the 3rd-2nd millennium BC;
2) ink *sumi 墨, made of a mixture of lampblack and glue;
3) inkstone *suzuri 硯, commonly made of stone, clay tile, jade, ceramic, or precious metals, and used for grinding ink;
4) paper kami 紙, invented in China in the 1st century AD, became favored over silk because of its variety of texture and low cost. Paper-making techniques were transmitted to Japan in the 8th century. See *washi 和紙.
Great care was taken in the production of these four tools which reached the height of their refinement in China in the 10th-11th century. The quality of each of the four treasures was of utmost importance to the member of the literati who chose his tools with loving care. The connection that developed between the scholar and his accoutrements led the ancients to claim that the true character of the author was revealed in his brush strokes.