Paper, ink, brush pen, and ink slab were formerly the four essential items used in writing or drawing during ancient times. They are the four most valuable items in the workplace and had been crowned as the "Four Office Gems." Since the "Four Office Gems" were formerly considered the exclusive belongings of the educated elite, their intangible worth was widely recognized in ancient cultures.
The "Four Office Gems" set entails: Paper and ink slab along with its water pot (a small pot for grinding ink and washing brush), a brush pen (with a brush pen holder, a brush pot), etc.
Thuy Tri is lake, although it more accurately refers to the little jars or pots used to wash brushes and pouring water while grinding ink. The beauty of these objects has led some to believe that they are burial relics, however the oddly shaped mouth and body of the pot belie this assumption. Some of these jars are about the size of a tomato, yet with just a glance, you can tell which ones are meant for grinding ink and which ones are used for washing brushes. White glaze with blue patterns, orchid and bamboo leaf design and a small round mouth with lotus design laced around all indicate that this water pot was made in the manner of the Chu Dau pottery village during the early Le dynasty, at the turn of the 14th century (11cm in height and 9cm in diameter). The finely painted flowers of this design are a hallmark of ceramics from the Tran dynasty. It has been speculated that this particular
The Chu Dau water pot is an important cultural relic that should be preserved and shown so that future generations can learn about Vietnam's rich cultural and educational heritage.