Dimensions: Height: 1.5cm; Length: 12.7cm; Width: 7—8cm

Origin: Excavated from the Tombs of the Five Dynasties, Niujiaotang, Changsha City, Hunan Province in 1958

The upper part at the bottom of this ink stone is carved horizontally with an inscription of “recorded by Zhang Shijin” (Zhang Shijin might be the name of the ink stone’s owner) and the middle part vertically with “bought at the price of 1,500 coins in the 3rd month of the 3rd year of the Changxing reign period”. “Changxing" was the reign title of Li Siyuan, Emperor of the later Tang in the Five Dynasties, “the 3rd year of the Changxing reign period referred to the year 932.

Of enormous historical value, this ink stone, thanks to its shape, affords a glimpse of multi-legged and round-surfaced ink stones in the Five Dynasties and Song Dynasty.