Xiang Song examines a Huimo ink mould in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone. [Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song draws gilded decorations on dried cinnabar Huimo ink sticks in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

A worker at Xiang Song's Huimo workshop puts cinnabar ink ingredients into a mould in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song carves a Huimo ink mould in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song (L) talks about Huimo to a group of primary school students in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song looks at a Huimo ink cake made by his father in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song (L) learns about Huimo from his father Xiang Desheng in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song adjusts the shape of an undried cinnabar Huimo ink cake in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song (L) and a worker put raw ink ingredients into a mould at a Huimo workshop in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song carves a Huimo ink mould in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]

Xiang Song carves a Huimo ink mould in Shexian County, east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 27, 2014. Xiang Song was born into a family with a long tradition of making Huimo, a renowned solid ink native to Shexian County. The 24-year-old started learning Huimo techniques from his father after he graduated from college in 2013. Huimo is usually made from soots and other minerals into solid sticks or cakes, often with ornate decorations. In ancient China, ink was among the "Four Treasures of the Study", which refers to the four necessities of writing: the writing brush, the ink, the paper and the inkstone.[Photo/Du Yu]