A grey pottery warming inkstoneFive Dynastieswith a fitted box,5.0cm high, 13.0cm diam.Provenance: Provenance:K. Y. Fine Art, Hong KongExhibited and Published:Exhibition of Scholar's Objects in China through the Ages, K. Y. Fine Art, Hong Kong, 3-12 Apr 2014, 2017 reprint, p.19, no.11五代 灰陶暖硯 及盒傳承：香港繼遠美術展覽及錄著：《中國歷代文玩展》，繼遠美術，香港，2014年4月3日至12日，2017年重印，頁19，展品11號The hollow below the inkstone is for burning charcoal to warm the ink so that it doesn't freeze during the bitter winter in northern China. A popular phrase,hanchuang, literally meaning 'cold window', refers to amon image of a student study by a cold window and latere to symbolise all sorts of harsh condition one endures when studying. This innovation of a warming inkstone no doubt eases some of these harsh conditions, but may have also provided warmth andpanion to an otherwise underprivileged student studying by an all but bitter winter window.北方天氣寒冷，硯面下的空膛放置煤炭以防墨液結冰，給讀書人寒窗夜讀之用。