砚亦称为研，与笔、墨、纸合称中国传统的文房四宝，是中国书法绘画当中必不可少的文房用具，由于其性质坚固，传百世而不朽，又经过长时间的历史发展，砚台已早已不再是单纯的文具，而成为了集雕刻，绘画于一身的工艺美术品，成为文人墨客争相收藏的对象。
Inkstone, also known as Yan, is called the four treasures of Chinese traditional literature, which is indispensable in Chinese calligraphy and painting. Inkstone is no longer a simple stationery, but a combination of sculpture and painting. Art and art works have become the object of collection by literati and ink-writers.
砚台虽然在“笔墨纸砚”的排次中位居最后，但从收藏和流传及文化内涵方面来说，却居首要地位，有“文房四宝”砚为首之说。这是由于不仅砚台质地坚实、能传之数代的缘故，而且砚台集中了雕塑、书画、金石、文学、历史等文化艺术，内涵最为丰富。所以，现今社会上“文房四宝”中以砚最为多见，也受到广泛范围也最为。
Although inkstone is the last in the ranking of "pen, ink, paper and inkstone", it occupies the first place in terms of collection, dissemination and cultural connotation, with "four treasures of the study" as the first one. This is because not only the inkstone is of solid texture and can be passed on for generations, but also the inkstone concentrates on sculpture, painting, stone, literature, history and other cultural arts, with the richest connotation. Therefore, inkstone is the most common among the "four treasures of study" in today's society, and it is also the most widely used.
中国最早的砚台是什么时候产生的?考古学家曾在陕西省临潼县姜寨一处原始社会的遗址中，发现了一套原始人用以陶器彩绘的工具，其中有一方石砚，砚有盖，砚面微凹，凹处并有一根石质磨杵，砚旁留存数块黑色颜料。很显然，这是先民们借助磨杵研磨颜料的早期砚的形制，其主要功用是研磨彩绘陶器的颜料。
When did China's earliest inkstone platform come into being? Archaeologists once found a set of tools for pottery paintings by primitive people in a primitive society site in Jiangzhai, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province, including a stone inkstone with a cover, a slight concave inkstone surface, concave with a stone grinder, and several pieces of black pigments left beside the inkstone. Obviously, this is the early form of inkstone that the ancestors used to grind pigments by grinding pestles. Its main function is to grind pigments of painted pottery.
宋代石砚的主要式样是抄手砚，朴素大方，实用雅观。明清时期端石、歙石独领风骚，特别是明末以后，制砚不仅逐渐着重精雕细刻，而且还非常讲究砚石的色泽、文采、声音、嫩润及年代、石坑、题铭等，许多砚已由实用品转为艺术欣赏品。河南博物院作为中原地区一座大型综合性国家级博物馆，收藏的砚台不仅数量多，而且多有明确的出土信息和征集地域，是重要的断代标准器，现择一些有代表性的砚作以介绍。
The main style of stone inkstone in Song Dynasty is handwriting inkstone, simple and generous, practical and elegant. Duanshi and Heshi were the leading figures in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Especially after the end of Ming Dynasty, inkstone making not only gradually focused on fine carving, but also paid great attention to the color, literary grace, voice, tenderness and age, stone pits, inscriptions and so on. Many inkstones have been converted from practical works to art appreciation works. Henan Museum, as a large comprehensive state-level Museum in Central Plains, not only has a large number of inkstones, but also has clear unearthed information and collection area. It is an important standard instrument for dating. Some representative inkstones are selected for introduction.
四大名砚中包括了端砚、歙砚、澄泥砚。从装饰上集中了雕塑、书画、金石、文学、历史等文化艺术，内涵最丰富，基本上反映了中国古代砚台发展脉络，加上多数砚有详细的出土地点和征集地域，更增添了这些砚的中原地域文化信息，承载着中原文明和历史载体，成为中华文明发展历史长河的重要文化见证。
Four famous inkstones include Duan Inkstone, She Inkstone and Chengmu Inkstone. From the decoration, it concentrates on the culture and art of sculpture, calligraphy and painting, stone, literature, history and so on. Its connotation is the richest. It basically reflects the development vein of ancient Chinese inkstones. In addition, most inkstones have detailed land-leaving sites and collecting areas, which adds the regional cultural information of these inkstones and carries the civilization and historical carrier of the Central Plains. It has become an important cultural witness of the long history of the development of Chinese civilization.
