Ink and inspiration: A tribute to craftsmanship

Just add a few drops of clean water and gently grind the ink stick against an inkstone. Soon, rich black ink begins to dissolve and spread across the stone's surface — a scene so familiar to Chinese intellectuals that it once felt as natural as breathing.

As the essential material for Chinese calligraphy and brush painting, ink — one of the "four treasures of a scholar's study" — holds a special place in Chinese culture. Historical records show that making a single stick of Hui ink, one of the most famous types of Chinese inks, requires 36 steps, from collecting soot to carving and gilding. The process can take anywhere from four months to a year.

Huizhou, shortened as Hui, refers to an ancient geographical area covering parts of today's Huangshan city and Jixi county in Anhui province, as well as Wuyuan county in Jiangxi province.

Recently, this centuries-old craft, which originated in the late Tang Dynasty (618-907) and flourished in East China's Anhui province during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, has taken center stage in the hit TV drama The Heir.

Regarded as China's first television series focused on the inheritance of Hui ink culture, the drama is set during Emperor Jiajing's reign (1522-66) in the Ming Dynasty. It tells the story of Li Zhen, a talented young woman who is determined to carry on her family's ink-making tradition.

Played by actress Yang Zi, Li shows a gift for ink-making from an early age. But after her father is framed and blamed for an accident involving tribute ink for the imperial court, the family is expelled from its clan and falls into poverty.

Despite the setback, Li refuses to give up. Through hard work and determination, she learns and hones her skills with fellow craftsmen and her grandfather. Alongside her childhood friend Luo Wenqian — the youngest son of another well-known ink-making family — she turns rivalry into cooperation. Ultimately, Li strives to produce the finest Hui ink sticks, defeats a Japanese rival, and protects the craft's reputation.

Behind the drama's success lies a lot of preparation.

Director Hui Kaidong, known for hits such as Story of Yanxi Palace, traveled to Huangshan — the heart of the ancient Huizhou region and a major center of ink production — to immerse himself in the culture. Within six months, he studied the craft with inheritors and explored the region's distinctive traditions, from Hui-style architecture to wood carving, fish-shaped lanterns and local cuisine.

"We visited nearly every historic village, constantly searching for locations that could best bring the story to life," Hui recalls.