硯臺與筆、墨、紙是中國傳統的文房四寶，是中國書法的必備用具。硯臺不僅是文房用具，由於其性質堅固，傳百世而不朽，又被歷代文人作為珍玩藏品之選。硯臺的材料豐富多樣，除紅絲石、端石、歙石、洮河石、澄泥石、徐公硯、易水硯、松花石、砣磯石、菊花石外，還有玉硯、玉雜石硯、瓦硯、漆沙硯、鐵硯、瓷硯等，共幾十種。
Inkstone and pen, ink and paper are the four treasures of traditional Chinese study and the essential tools of Chinese calligraphy. The inkstone is not only a study tool, because of its strong nature, has been passed down from generation to generation and immortal, and has been selected by the literati as a collection of treasures. The ink slab material is rich and varied, in addition to the red silk stone, duan stone, Xi stone, Tao he stone, Cheng Shi, Xu Gongyan, Yi Shui yan, Pine stone, jade stone, jade stone, stone, chrysanthemum stone, there are jade inkstone, jade miscellaneous stone, tile, lacquer inkstone, iron inkstone, porcelain inkstone, a total of dozens of.
此方硯臺為端硯，端硯的歷史悠久，石質優良，雕刻精美。端硯、歙硯和洮硯，素來有「三大石質名硯」之美譽。製造端硯，一般要經過採石。選料、雕刻、配盒四道工序。從唐代起，端硯、歙硯、洮河硯和澄泥硯被並稱為「四大名硯」。端硯為「中國四大名硯」之首，緻密堅實幼嫩、細膩，溫潤如玉的石質，獨特而豐富多彩的石品花紋以及巧奪天工的雕刻藝術而聞名於世。並具有質柔而剛按之如小兒肌膚，摩之寂寂無聲響，以及貯水不凅，呵氣研墨、不損毫，發墨快等特點。
This square inkstone is the end inkstone, the end inkstone has a long history, fine stone, exquisite carving. Duan Inkstone, she inkstone and Tao inkstone have been known as the "three stone inkstones". The manufacture of inkstone, generally through quarrying. There are four processes: material selection, carving and box matching. Since tang Dynasty, Duan Inkstone, she inkstone, Tao He inkstone and Chengni were called "four famous inkstones". Duanyan is the first of the "Four famous ink-stones in China". It is dense and solid, tender, delicate, warm and smooth as jade. It is famous for its unique and colorful stone patterns as well as its exquisite carving art. With soft and firm as a child's skin, no sound being rubbed, water not being used, gas grinding ink, no damage, fast ink and other characteristics.
端硯之所以稱雄於世一千餘年，滿譽天下，主要是它具有質剛而柔的優良石質和豐富多彩的天然石品花紋而使歷代無數人為此陶醉、痴迷。端硯石的原始母巖形成於距今4億年前的泥盆紀中期。在地球演化史上，4億年前，肇慶這個位置是一條沿東北方向延伸的濱岸潮坪，廣州一帶為古陸，當時的大海在廣西方向，海水從西部進入肇慶地區。肇慶位於古陸與半島之間的海陸交替處，兩側的古陸為沉積提供了物源。古陸風化剝蝕下來的大量泥沙被海水帶到濱岸停下來，按比重和粒級的大小依次沉積堆積成層，較輕的漂浮物被水水解後停留在潮坪較低洼的湖區，緩慢沉降，最後沉積成層。這就是端石最初的物質聚集。
Duanyan is the dominant in the world more than one thousand years, full reputation, mainly because it has a strong and soft quality of fine stone and colorful natural stone patterns so that countless people in all dynasties for this intoxicated, obsessed. The original mother stone of the Toyanshi was formed in the middle devonian about 400 million years ago. In the evolution history of the earth, 400 million years ago, Zhaoqing was a coastal tidal flat extending along the northeast direction, and The area around Guangzhou was an ancient land. At that time, the sea was in the direction of Guangxi, and the sea water entered zhaoqing area from the west. Zhaoqing is located at the alternations of land and sea between the ancient land and the peninsula. The ancient land on both sides provides the provenance for the deposition. A large amount of sediment from the paleoland-aeolian denudation was brought to a halt by sea water, and deposited and accumulated into layers according to specific gravity and grain size. The lighter floating objects were hydrolyzed by water and then stayed in the low-lying lake area of the tidal flat, settling slowly, and finally deposited into layers. This is the initial aggregation of the endolith.
端硯石主要石材產地分布在肇慶西江羚羊峽兩岸，北嶺山等地一帶，東歪沙浦，西達小湘，南沿崇隆，北據北嶺，開採的硯坑星羅棋布，制硯之石品種繁多，各有特色，分布在羚羊峽南岸，端溪東側斧柯西麓一帶是硯坑巖最集中而且石質也是最好的地方，計有老坑（水巖）坑仔巖、麻於坑、朝天巖、宣德巖、冚羅芭蕉巖、古塔巖等。這些坑巖的石質比較好，制出來硯易發墨，石品多，實用與欣賞都很有價值。
The inkstone stone origin distributed mainly in zhaoqing xijiang antelope canyon on both sides, places such as northridge mountain area, east crooked sa, west of xiang, south along the long part, north according to northridge, the inkstone pit mining area, the system of inkstone stone variety, have distinguishing feature each, distribution in antelope canyon, south side stream axe ke XiLu area on the east side is the most concentrated inkstone pits rock and stone is the best place, are the old pit (water) rock pit wang rock, hemp in the pit, the air, XuanDeYan, 冚 plantain rock, pagodas, etc. The quality of these pit rocks is relatively good, making ink stone is easy to send, stone products, practical and appreciation are very valuable.
此方硯臺為乾隆年間藏寶齋所制。形制巨大，雕刻精美，硯身有七條雲龍盤旋，硯蓋雙龍戲珠，整體九龍環繞，威猛雅致，一頭老牛盤臥硯身，憨態可掬，輕巧別致。堪稱澄泥硯中的上上精品。從製作的精細和雕刻細節的繁複看，符合清中早期乾隆時期風格。即便是老牛，和二龍戲珠的小珠，亦一絲不苟清晰可辨，其刀工之仔細與講究，可見一斑。全硯渾厚大氣，包漿圓潤，硯池中留墨有大量金粉，小池中留墨為松煙墨跡，應為達官貴胄所用之物，經過200多年的歲月流逝，依舊保存十分完整，至為罕見和寶貴，價值不可估量。
This square inkstone was made during the Qianlong Reign of Emperor Qianlong. The body of the inkstone has seven clouds and dragons circling. The cover of the inkstone covers two dragons playing with beads. The whole body is surrounded by nine dragons. Can be called cheng Mud inkstone in the top quality. From the fine production and the complicated carving details, it conforms to the style of qianlong Period in the middle and early Qing Dynasty. Even the old ox and erlong play beads, also meticulous and clear discernible, its knife careful and exquisite, can be seen. The inkstone is thick and full, and the inkstone pool contains a large amount of gold powder. The ink in the small pool is made of pine smoke, which should be used by officials and nobles. After the passage of more than 200 years, it is still very intact, rare and precious, and of inestimable value.