Water-dropper (calligraphy)
A water-dropper (Japanese: 水滴, Hepburn: suiteki, Chinese: 水滴; pinyin: shuǐdī) is a small device used in East Asian calligraphy as a container designed to hold a small amount of water. In order to make ink a few drops of water are dropped onto the surface of an inkstone. By grinding an inkstick into this water on the inkstone, particles come off and mix with the water, forming ink.
Water-dropper
A hen-shaped water dropper
Water-droppers may be made of copper, jade or other stone, or ceramic. A water-dropper has two small holes for water and air, and is designed so that only a few drops of water can fall at one time.[1]
There are a few types of water-droppers.
| Type of water-dropper | Hanzi / Kanji | Pinyin | Rōmaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water-dropper with pouring spout and a handle | 水注 | shuǐzhù | suichuu |
| Water-droppers in diverse forms with large openings | 水中丞 | shuǐzhōngchéng | suichuujou |
| Jar-like water-droppers with large opening | 水盂 | shuǐyú | suiu |
| Frog shaped water-dropper | 蟾蜍 | chánchú | senjo |
References
- suiteki 水滴 (in English); aisf.or.jp, consulted on: 2012-12-31
External links
- Fish shaped water dropper at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
- Water droppers at the University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Water droppers at the British Museum
- "Object of the Week: Rat water dropper" from the Seattle Museum of Art
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