
ShuNan 蜀南 means “Shu South” the southern part of the ancient Shu kingdom (now Sichuan province). ShuNan Bamboo Sea (蜀南竹海) is probably the largest bamboo sea in the world spread out over 120 square kilometers with 27 valleys and 500 hills. Climate here is so nice. The average temperature is around 15.5 degrees and humidity is above 83%. All these elements make this place perfect for bamboos to grow. In first half of 20th century, a group of brigands were hiding in this bamboo sea. They left here after 1950s. However, the buildings constructed by them are still in function nowadays.









Temples
Like all the places in this area, there is an ancient Buddhist temple. We are not sure how old it is but it is so well preserved. The temple is just hiding itself in this bamboo sea, quietly praying for the world for centuries.
Bamboo in Daily Life
It is very amazing to see how widely bamboo is used in locals daily life. Houses are built with bamboo, kitchen tools are made with bamboo, and various delicious food are made by using of bamboo. For example, locals are so smart that they gather the water filtered by bamboo roots and use such sweet water to make deserts, teas, and wines. A special bamboo wine is also made here by preserving wines in bamboo poles. Bamboo leaves are used for cooking too. Also the bamboo forest also creates a mysterious delicious mushroom kingdom. In this bamboo sea, hundreds types of valuable wild mushrooms as well as medical herbs are growing.






Bamboo is an important symbol in Chinese culture. It represents almost all the important values which are appreciated by Chinese. Bamboo always keeps green, vivid and has such a strong ability to survive. Its empty bamboo pole seems it is very open-minded and humble. The bamboo never is straight and flexible; this is a perfect combination of vigor and suppleness. It is fresh, elegant, strong, flexible, and humble. For hundreds thousands years, Chinese intellectuals have been pursuing these values and hope to form such a well established personality with these values.
Bamboo in Painting
In history, Zheng BanQiao 郑板桥 (artistic name of 鄭燮 Zheng Xie), 1693–1765, is probably the most famous artist who specializes in painting bamboos. He even created his own very unique style of calligraphy.






Materials for Painting Bamboo
If you want to paint such Bamboos, you can choose high grade oil soot inkstick, combo hair brush and wool (goat hair) brush, and inkston 3338 Xuan paper, Extra Fine 6575 Xuan Paper.
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Bamboo Inkstick Gripper
Please note that we have updated the gripper to a better version which is made with fine wood. Photos will soon be updated. Feature: it is used to grip a small inkstick firmly to grind or rub it on the inkstone. It is a very handy and useful small inkstick tool. $4.40 (USD)
Brand: inkston
Materials: Bamboo
Product Size: 10.5 × 2 × 1 cm
Shipping size: 10.5 × 4 × 2 cm
Shipping weight: 20 gBamboo Inkstick Gripper
$4.40 (USD) Add -
INKSTON 3338 Plus Xuan Paper
INKSTON 3338 Plus Xuan paper contains 33-38% Pteroceltis Tatarinowii tree bark, it is untreated/unsized (raw/uncooked in Chinese) and is suitable for both painting and calligraphy. This is fine 45gsm paper, in large 138x70cm size (I sheet has a surface area equivalent to 15 sheets A4). Available in pack sizes: 10 sheets (0.4kg net weight) 25 sheets half size (0.5kg net weight)…$19.80 – $143.00
Brand: inkston
Maker: Inkston
Materials: 棉料 Mian Liao
Recommend to: Advanced Level, Beginners, Medium Level, Professionals
Suitable for: Calligraphy, Chinese PaintingINKSTON 3338 Plus Xuan Paper
$19.80 – $143.00 Choose -
INKSTON Extra Fine 6575 Plus Xuan Paper
INKSTON Extra Fine 6575 Plus Xuan paper contains 65-75% Pteroceltis Tatarinowii tree bark, it is untreated/unsized (raw/uncooked in Chinese) and is suitable for both painting and calligraphy. To make the Extra Fine grade Xuan paper the fibres are steamed/boiled and the pulp mixed for longer than usual. This makes the paper finer and stronger than normal Xuan Paper. This is fine 40gsm…$24.20 – $177.87
Brand: inkston
Maker: Inkston
Materials: 净皮 Jing Pi
Recommend to: Advanced Level, Beginners, Medium Level, Professionals
Suitable for: Calligraphy, Chinese PaintingINKSTON Extra Fine 6575 Plus Xuan Paper
$24.20 – $177.87 Choose -
Inkston WsWl 古法白云 GuFa BaiYun “Traditional White Cloud ” 兼毫 Jian Hao Combination Brush Set
Special Feature: 60 – 65% weasel hair, 35 – 40% wool. The inside part is weasel hair; the outside part is wool.
$53.81$45.74
Brand: inkston
Maker: Xu Shi Chun
Materials: Bamboo, JianHao hair
Packaging: silk sleeve
Recommend to: Advanced Level, Beginners, Medium Level, Professionals
Suitable for: Calligraphy, Chinese Painting, 写意画 Freehand Painting, 楷书 KaiShu Regular Script calligraphy, 花鸟画 Flower and Bird painting, 草书 CaoShu "grass" Cursive Script calligraphy
Brush Hair Size: 4 * 0.9 cm, 3.6 * 0.8 cm, 3.3 * 0.7 cm
Product Size: 28 x 1,1 x 1,1 cm, 28 x 1 x 1 cm, 26,2 x 0,9 x 0,9 cm
Product Weight: 16
Shipping size: 96.5 × 8 × 7 cmInkston WsWl 古法白云 GuFa BaiYun “Traditional White Cloud ” 兼毫 Jian Hao Combination Brush Set
-15%$53.81$45.74 Add to cart -
郑板桥 Zheng BanQiao Bamboo Inksticks Set
This is a set of black inksticks specially made for painting in the style of Zheng BanQiao (郑板桥, also known as 鄭燮 Zheng Xie), famous for his paintings of bamboo and special calligraphy. There are four inksticks in each set. The inksticks are packed very well in a fine traditional Chinese silk-lined wooden box. The four inksticks are the same ink…
$86.90$75.90 (USD)
Brand: 老胡開文墨莊 Old Hu Kai Wen Ink Workshop
Colour: Black
Materials: 全烟 Quan Soot
Packaging: Traditional Chinese Silk Lined Box
Recommend to: Advanced Level, Beginners, Collectors, Medium Level, Professionals
Suitable for: Calligraphy, Chinese Painting, Collection
Product Size: 26.5 × 21.5 × 3.6 cm
Product Weight: 119g*4郑板桥 Zheng BanQiao Bamboo Inksticks Set
Sale!$86.90$75.90 (USD) Add
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Deep black (油烟墨 Youyan Mo oil soot) (48)
Premium black China inksticks are made from oil soot, as may also be known in English as lampblack. Oil soot black inks are recommended for both calligraphy and painting. The type of black is deep, sophisticated, bright while not overwhelming. All types of oil soot inksticks are made with very similar raw materials. High grade inks may have added aromatic oils…
Deep black (油烟墨 Youyan Mo oil soot) (48)
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狼毫 Lang Hao Wolf brush (Weasel hair) (24)
"Wolf" brushes use hair from the Chinese "Yellow mouse wolf" 黄鼠狼 - a local name for the Siberian weasel. Premium Dong Lang Hao "Winter Wolf" brushes use the extra thick hairs produced in the winter in the cold and snowy North East China. The best weasel hair is fine and glistening, smooth and elastic and suitable for both large and small…
狼毫 Lang Hao Wolf brush (Weasel hair) (24)
For Zheng BanQiao style calligraphy, all the inkston handmade Xuan papers are suitable. Inkston also has made a special Xuan paper for calligraphy purposes. The special percentage combination of raw materials and of processing methods make this paper perfect for calligraphy purposes.
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Inkston Decorated Xuan Paper pack (ldxp-024)
One pack includes 5 sheets of unmounted decorated Xuan paper. This type of Xuan Paper is thin and similar to single layer handmade Xuan Paper thickness. Paper is handmade with printed design.$5.50 (USD)
Brand: inkston
Recommend to: Advanced Level, Beginners, Medium Level, Professionals
Suitable for: Calligraphy, Chinese Painting
Product Size: 138 × 35 × 0.3 cm
Product Weight: 180
Shipping size: 40 × 35 × 0.3 cmInkston Decorated Xuan Paper pack (ldxp-024)
$5.50 (USD) Add -
INKSTON Expert Calligraphy Xuan Paper
INKSTON Expert Calligraphy Xuan paper contains 65 to 75% Pteroceltis Tatarinowii tree bark, it is untreated/unsized (raw/uncooked in Chinese) and is suitable for both painting and calligraphy, especially recommendable for calligraphy. Expert Calligraphy Xuan paper is made with Pteroceltis Tatarinowii which is only steamed and boiled once. Extra work is done on the pulp production to make the paper finer and…$20.90 – $153.03
Brand: inkston
Materials: 净皮 Jing PiINKSTON Expert Calligraphy Xuan Paper
$20.90 – $153.03 Choose
Bamboo Design
Our ceramic artists have created a series of beautiful bamboo-inspired ceramics and we also have some nice bamboo fans for your own painting.
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Bamboo Pen/Brush Rest
Designed by Oriental Garden Size: 5.8 * 1.3 cm, 18 grams. (All handmade pieces, so the size and weight might vary slightly piece to piece.) Handmade: 7 days. Price is per piece.$3.30 (USD)
Brand: inkston
Shipping size: 10 × 5 × 3 cm
Shipping weight: 25 gBamboo Pen/Brush Rest
$3.30 (USD) Add -
Ceramic Brush Holder (Bamboo Design)
Handmade ceramic brush holder which is designed to be a green bamboo. It has all the details of bamboo shaft. Designer: Ban Hui from Oriental Garden$44.37 (USD)
Brand: inkston
Product Size: 15 × 7 × 7 cmCeramic Brush Holder (Bamboo Design)
$44.37 (USD) Add -
Classic Ceramic Brush Rest (bamboo)
Size: 16.5 * 3 * 2 cm Made at inkston Jing De Zhen ceramic workshop. It can hold 5 brushes.$4.95 (USD)
Shipping size: 16.5 × 3 × 2 cm
Shipping weight: 250 gClassic Ceramic Brush Rest (bamboo)
$4.95 (USD) Add -
Handmade Ceramic Water Dropper (Bamboo design)
Designer: Oriental Garden Handmade; available to ship worldwide. Weight: 70 grams Size: 4.6 * 4.6 * 5 cm $28.37 (USD)
Shipping size: 4.6 × 4.6 × 5 cm
Shipping weight: 70 gHandmade Ceramic Water Dropper (Bamboo design)
$28.37 (USD) Add -
Inkston Painting Fan (Fabric and Bamboo)
Suitable for watercolor painting. Handmade with fine fabric and well-polished bamboo. Size when folded: 33 * 3 * 2 cm. Size when opened: 60 * 33 * 3 cm. Handmade and designed by Inkston in China. Handmade fan made with bamboo and fabric. The fabric is especially processed and it is suitable for watercolor paintings. You can either draw or…$9.57 (USD)
Brand: inkston
Packaging: silk sleeveInkston Painting Fan (Fabric and Bamboo)
$9.57 (USD) Add
Cerca de Zigong gay un mar de bambú precioso, donde se rodó aquella película famosa…
Si, creo que estas pensando de Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – El tigre y el dragón
Inkston efectivamente… Estuve por allí hace años…
Un lugar de ensueño!!!! Me encantaría algún día pasear por ese espacio tan natural !!!
[…] has played an important role in Chinese culture. See inkston article on the Bamboo sea and watch out for the second article on Bamboo […]
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