For centuries, Hui ink has played a vital role in Chinese calligraphy and painting, where it is renowned for its rich, velvety texture. The production of Hui ink involves a meticulous process requiring several steps that can take a significant amount of time - sometimes even months. To this day, artisans in east China's Anhui Province use traditional production techniques to ensure the quality and cultural value of the Hui ink.

The first step is cigarette lighting (Photo/Zhang Shuhui)

The second step is hammering ink (Photo/Zhang Shuhui)

The third step is ink making (Photo/Zhang Shuhui)

The fourth step is gold painting (Photo/Zhang Shuhui)