EasyouDuan Inkstone Top Grade Ink Stone with Traditional Chinese Dragon Sculpture 5" in Length

Very beautiful inkstone. The outer box I received was different, but I actually liked it better than what was shown in the picture. The wooden case the stone is housed in is nicely crafted. The stone itself is super smooth, has a cold butter feel to it and is perfect as a personal stone I would use to grind ink for calligraphy/writing (I prefer larger stones for painting since I have to make and use a lot more ink than I would for writing). It does gives your studio/setup an authentic flavour, and it definitely gives you a regal feel when you grind quality ink on to it (only use good quality ink as to not scratch the surface of the stone) and run your brush along the surface. Considering that Duan inkstone (which is considered the highest grade of stone, second to that would be She-stones) can run in the hundreds of dollars occasionally thousands, I believe this stone is a good economical alternative to aspiring scholars and artists that wants to have a little piece of quality they can call their own and use.

First thing first I would like to state that I haven't used this product yet, I would just like to comment on how it arrived. I will edit this review afterward when I have used this product.PACKAGING: When this arrived at my doorstep it was wrapped in a plastic shipping envelope. Now I will say that it was well sealed and taped up within the goldilocks zone. The only issue I have with the packaging is given the contents of the package could have been ruined by this packaging method. Now I cannot blame the seller, and I honestly don't know who packaged it but given what was underneath the plastic.UNBOXING: I must say that this Inkstone has an amazing decorative box for it. Mine arrived in a black box, a single clasp with no lock, and the design was covered in red 4-toed Emporer Lung Dragons (I am a huge fan of dragons so a big plus). Inside there was enough stuffing to keep the Inkstone protected which is one of my main concerns. Inside you will find a sticker with a way to contact them including their website and email in case something might be wrong (assumption on the last part). The lining is a brilliant orange and the wooden container is a nice redwood color (I'll add pictures later). The lid fits well with the bottom making it easy to lift off but not enough give that it could rub the wood the wrong way and damage it. The Inkstone doesn't move at all which is awesome to see for when I have to put it away between uses. Now it does come with a stick of ink, and my ink is decorated with the image of a tree with dark green leaves that almost blend into the ink stick itself. It has writing on the other side but I will have to look up what the characters mean.FINAL OPINION: As you can tell from my current words, I love the look of this product! It is superb in its design and I'll be honest even if you don't use it as intended it still looks amazing. I will be using this inkstone within the next week to begin learning calligraphy so till my updated review wish me luck! I hope you too get to enjoy this Inkstone.

I've had this stone for a while before posting this review, that way I fully put it through its paces. The stone is wonderful. Mine needed a light sanding with around 6,000 grit paper to break the surface in since it was too smooth, but once I did that it now quickly produces a beautiful, smooth, fine, dark ink that won't settle out in a test tube even after weeks!If it were a bigger deal to me, I would take a star off for the lid not fitting just right. It came unevenly carved from the manufacturer, and allowed the ink to dry out in about a day or so when I left it, defeating the purpose of even having the lid in the first place. However, with some sandpaper, ink, a nice, sharp knife, and some good old-fashioned elbow grease, I got the lid to sit perfectly. I use this stone to make ink for my calligraphy and drawing pens, and I've been using the same batch of ink for two weeks now without it drying out once!The ink stick I received was a little under-quality though... I frequently find very hard chunks mixed in with the rest as I'm grinding, so I'm forced to dig them out with a craft knife to avoid damaging my stone. I probably will be purchasing a better ink stick, which is a shame because the ink that came with this stone is just so luxuriously black.

What a wonderful set! It has a beautiful storage box and includes an ink stick. The ink stone is a nice size, not too small or too large. Mine is a blackish brown with nuances of muted colors that add to its beauty. It has an intricate carved dragon at the top. The grinding section, I think it is called the land, has a silky coolness. The sea portion also has a nice depth.It was wrapped securely and shipped fast. However, the wooden box top arrived damaged. The seller quickly replaced the box.I am very happy with Easyou and definitely recommend them!Cherrie H.

I initially received a shipment of paper mis labeled as an ink stone but I returned it now questions asked and received the proper item I was hopeful for. It is no disappointment at all in fact I am happy about the whole return process and what a nice ink stone and box it is. Thank so much.Signed,A very satisfied and well treated customer.

The media could not be loaded. This ink stone is expensive and supposedly high quality. But the packaging was so poorly done. After my first ink stone wad arrived with broken wood case that hold ink stone, I requested for a replacement. But the second shipment also arrived with broken wood case. I am returning it to cancel my order. I am very disappointed with their packaging.

Product photo is misleading. It shows a light colored stone something akin to mother of pearl. However, what I got was something more like a dark clay color. I still like it but not worth the $65 price tag.

After careful comparison, I bought this product, I am not sure it’s sculpted by hand or machine, it’s not my favorite pattern but the ink pool itself is working well. And also with the wooden box which is fully painted by oil, meaning it could insulate the wood from water. I am pretty happy with this ink stone. And the ink it come with is also working well. Overall it is satisfying purchase.

...it looks and feels great! It's a pleasure to work with....