| Description |
Ink or Ink making is also an art related to the art of Calligraphy and writing. Like the calligraphy pen, ink is one of the fundamental needs while undertaking any kind of writing, printing, paintings including the engraving works as it need to be either sketch or write the primary writings before actual engraving is initiated. Therefore, it is an art that a calligrapher or a xylograph printer must know how to make ink by themselves.
Nag-tsha or more often Nag-tse is a general term for any types of Ink used for the aforementioned activities but also referred particularly to the normal ink i.e. the black ink. As majority of the writings are written using the black ink thus, the usage of the term dominated the verities of inks be it gold, silver, copper, turquoise or vermillion. However, if somebody make quires like, “What types of ink?” the response will be referred to a definite ink like “gold, silver, copper, turquoise, vermillion, blood and normal ink.” However, due to the massive usage of normal black ink whether it is made from sooth or other black colour ingredients for writing and printing; not only the woodblock prints but also prayer flags therefore, the term Nag-tse (black ink) have been used as a general term for an ink.
As mentioned above, Ink and pen making technology evolved simultaneously with the invention of writing culture. As Bhutan highly regards Guru Padmasambhava and Denmang Tsemang (?) one of his principal disciples who transcribed the teachings and gave the scripture for the practice of King Sindhu Raja and later said to be hidden as treasure in early 9th century. Later in the 15th century, Terton Pema Lingpa (1450-5121) resumed the writing tradition along with pen and ink making to decipher the treasure document mentioned as Shog-ser and also for woodblock printing purpose.
The tradition met its thriving period in the 17th during Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal’s (1594-1651) reign after he instituted the State Government by established the Monastic Body and introduced the Calligraphy section (Yig-zoi-de) where monks learnt the art of calligraphy and ink making as well. Ink making was not only or writing but also required for making xylograph prints from the woodblocks stored in the respective Monastic Institutions esp. in the Dzongs (Fortress). Thereafter, the art was perpetuated and practiced by the successive Je Khenpos (chief abbot) and Druk Desis (temporal secular rulers) and Monarchs which is still surviving at a very small space due to the availability of modern inks from the market.
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| Social and cultural significance |
As Bhutanese believes that the ultimate bliss and happiness comes from the existence of precious teachings of the Buddha that comes in the form of body, speech and mind thus, scriptures whether written, xylograph prints or offset are the embodiment of Buddha’s speech. These scriptures are basically written using pen and ink and later made copies from various technologies. As mentioned in the Sutra, ‘in the degenerate times of five hundred; I will exist in the form of letters; bear in mind that these are I (the Buddha); that time, pay respect to them.’ Therefore, if a single letter represents a Buddha, the paper maker, the calligrapher and his tools; pen and ink are also as important as the enlightened beings as they are the one who creates the papers and letters, and made available and seeable at the present day. |
| Transmission method |
Ink making is one of the arts that a calligrapher should learn and gain perfection to enable oneself to undertake writing projects and activities with depending to others and for the calligrapher to make a qualitative ink. Making ink is a must lesson to be taught and learn by the students by carefully looking to the procedures and techniques undertaken by the teacher and later doing by oneself. If a practitioner does not have good knowledge or professionalism, the quality of the ink would be like; thin, with stains, defect in smoothness and ink flow, improper quantity of glue used thus, affecting the durability of the ink. In contrary, a qualitative ink will stay long period of time without any deficiencies. Therefore, learning how to make various inks is as important as the calligraphy itself.
Nag-tse: Normal black ink in Bhutan is primarily manufactured from soot, collected from any fire-resistant containers like metals are kept above the fire place and lamp soot.
1. Pine woods with rich resin are burnt as it emits thick black smoke and produce good quantity of soot.
2. The soot settled in the container or chimney are carefully collected.
3. Soot is put in the ink-making container and kneaded thoroughly by hands pouring little water.
4. Transferring the kneaded soot in another ink-making (Nag-zhong), add water and fine-tune using pestle (Tul-shing).
5. Add Zang-dru (Six valuable substances); Chu-gang (bamboo pith), Gur-gum (saffron), Li-shi (clove), Ka-ko-la (cardamom), Za-ti (nutmeg), Sug-mel (cubeb) and Ga-bur (camphor). If possible, Men-na (medicinal substances) are also added for making the ink holy.
6. Segregation of ink and stains with help of cloth which is called Re-tsag for one of two times or more until the ink is free of remnants.
7. Add ko-pyin (glue) made from animal hide and appropriate amount of water.
8. Examining of ink quality is checked by writing time and again by using the prepared ink and if not written flawlessly, water and glue is added little by little until the writing result exhibits to the satisfaction of the calligrapher.
Imposing soot tax in the olden days shows the importance of not the ink making culture but other associated elements such as; xylography and calligraphy where ink is must for the production of its outcome. Apart from the mentioned ingredients, Nya-pyin (fish glue), Zar-ma (flower of flax), Tsha-la karpo (white borax), Pi-pi ling (long pepper), Kara (white sugar), Ma-jai thri-pa (peacock bile), Ram (indigo plant), Khen-pai khu-wa (juice of Artemisia leaf), Go-ngai kar-cha (albumen from egg), and Tshi-na (liquid of burnt buckwheat, rice, wheat or barley) are added for long lasting, texture, good smell, prevent from decomposing and give perfect flow.
Gold ink:
1. A container with free of tarnish is needed such as porcelain ware (i.e. vitrified pottery). Before use, this must be tested for strength and durability. If you put hot boiling water into the container about three times without any cracks developing, it is a sign that the porcelain ware is compact and strong. It can be trusted for preparing gold ink and ink will not be wasted.
2. The gold drop or gold powder put into the cup and stirred again and again until the tarnish is discarded.
3. Add a little liquid glue and a bit of flax liquid (Zar-mai chu) and then uses the ink for writing. Done this way, the fluidity of the gold and its radiance will be enhanced.
Note: There is no need of adding a number of ingredients to the gold. Only the leather glue and flax liquid are applied.
Silver ink: It is made from silver drops and the method of preparation is identical to that of gold.
Copper ink: Of the two types of copper, the one that is reddish, soft and flexible, also called female copper is of better quality.
1. Copper is first ground into powder.
2. Boiled with another powder made from white coloured earth (tshur-kar), which is used as a kind of medicinal substance. This process is repeated several times.
3. The process of preparation is similar to that in preparing gold. The prepared copper is then boiled in butter milk or sour water (like lemon water), which helps to get rid the metal of tarnish and verdigris, making the copper very bright.
Brass ink:
1. When you scrape a file or a whetstone over yellow brass, it produces powder. This powder is then thoroughly washed in the liquid of tshur nag (black coloured earth).
2. Then put in the juice obtained from a green medicinal herb called snya-lo (polygonum),
3. Adding red ser-tshur (colour base earth) and a bit of baking soda, and then boiled and strained.
4. Lastly, prepared like gold.
Turquoise ink:
1. Powder is made from grinding it in sand and the other is grinding it in water.
2. After that, it is mixed with other ingredients like glue in correct proportion and write.
3. Rubbing with cat’s eye after that gives the shining required in the writing.
Vermillion ink: To make vermillion ink; Chinese cinnabar is the best; the middle is scarlet lead (skt. sindur), while rock cinnabar is; the lesser material.
1. Dry pounding
2. Knead
3. Liquefy and revive by water.
4. Extrct the liquid with cloth or bamboo strain
5. Discard the black liquid.
6. Mixing with ingredients; yoke is better than salt for brightness; use milk to bring still better colour
7. For tightening, incense glue and white cloth are good; these are all good combinations.
8. Again, dry grinding three times; thereafter, pour into pot of cinnabar.
9. Regulate the thickness by milk.
10. Take from middle portion, write with this for red coral colour.
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| Community |
Concerning to the ink making art, there is no focused group of a community rather it has been an individual art of a calligrapher. Following is the list of calligraphers involved in writing Golden Scripture of Kangyur under the King’s Project as well as some known private individuals, who have the knowledge of preparing various ink as mentioned above.
1. Lopen Kunzang Tobgay
2. Sonam Tobgay
3. Tshampa Norbu Wangchuk
4. Tenzin
5. Choki Gyeltshen
6. Dorji
7. Sonam Dorji
8. Sithar Wangchuk
9. Chador Phuntshog
10. Tshering Duba
11. Pema Tashi
12. Sonam Wangdi
13. Sonam
Private individuals:
1. Lam Ugyen Tenzin (Monastic Body)
2. Lopen Yonten Tsondru (Monastic Body)
3. Lopen Wangdi Gyentshen, Lobesa, Punakha (Monastic Body)
4. Lopen Dung Dorji, Dhur, Bumthang
5. Lopen Yonten Phuntsho, Tsakaling, Mongar
6. Lopen Ugyen Dorji, Lhuntse
7. Lopen Yeshey Namgyal, Gyetsa, Bumthang (National Library & Archives of Bhutan)
8. Yeshi Lhendup Begana, Thimphu (National Library & Archives of Bhutan)
Data collected by: Mr. Yeshi Lhendup, NLAB |
