【保護范圍】
廣東省肇慶現轄行政(zheng)區(qu)域
【地理環境】
端(duan)硯(yan)之所以稱雄于世(shi)一(yi)千余(yu)年(nian)，乃(nai)至今滿譽天下，主(zhu)要是(shi)(shi)它具有質剛而柔的(de)(de)(de)優良石(shi)(shi)質和豐富(fu)多彩的(de)(de)(de)天然(ran)石(shi)(shi)品(pin)花(hua)紋而使歷代無數人為(wei)此陶醉、癡迷。端(duan)硯(yan)石(shi)(shi)的(de)(de)(de)原始母巖形成(cheng)于距今4億年(nian)前的(de)(de)(de)泥(ni)盆紀中期。在(zai)(zai)地球(qiu)演(yan)化史上，4億年(nian)前，肇(zhao)慶這(zhe)個位置是(shi)(shi)一(yi)條沿東北方(fang)向延(yan)伸(shen)的(de)(de)(de)濱岸潮坪，廣(guang)州(zhou)一(yi)帶為(wei)古(gu)(gu)陸(lu)，當時的(de)(de)(de)大(da)(da)海(hai)在(zai)(zai)廣(guang)西方(fang)向，海(hai)水從(cong)西部進入(ru)肇(zhao)慶地區。肇(zhao)慶位于古(gu)(gu)陸(lu)與半島之間的(de)(de)(de)海(hai)陸(lu)交(jiao)替處，兩側的(de)(de)(de)古(gu)(gu)陸(lu)為(wei)沉(chen)積提供了物源。古(gu)(gu)陸(lu)風化剝蝕下來(lai)的(de)(de)(de)大(da)(da)量泥(ni)沙(sha)被海(hai)水帶到濱岸停下來(lai)，按(an)比重和粒(li)級(ji)的(de)(de)(de)大(da)(da)小依(yi)次沉(chen)積堆積成(cheng)層(ceng)，較輕的(de)(de)(de)漂浮物被水水解后停留(liu)在(zai)(zai)潮坪較低洼的(de)(de)(de)湖區，緩慢沉(chen)降，最后沉(chen)積成(cheng)層(ceng)。這(zhe)就是(shi)(shi)端(duan)石(shi)(shi)最初(chu)的(de)(de)(de)物質聚集。
【品質特色】
端硯(yan)為“中(zhong)國四大名硯(yan)”之(zhi)首，致密堅實幼(you)嫩(nen)、細膩，溫潤如玉的石(shi)質，獨(du)特而(er)豐富多彩的石(shi)品花紋以(yi)及巧奪天工的雕(diao)刻(ke)藝術(shu)而(er)聞名于世。并具有質柔(rou)而(er)剛按之(zhi)如小兒(er)肌膚，摩之(zhi)寂(ji)寂(ji)無(wu)聲響，以(yi)及貯(zhu)水(shui)不凅(gu)，呵氣研墨、不損毫，發(fa)墨快等特點(dian)。
【文化背景】
自唐以來(lai)，端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)一直被歷代文武將相名(ming)人(ren)學士所(suo)鐘愛(ai)。他(ta)(ta)們(men)(men)通過(guo)使用端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的感受(shou),寫下(xia)(xia)了大量的論文著述，成為(wei)研(yan)究(jiu)端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)歷史文化的寶貴(gui)資料，他(ta)(ta)們(men)(men)在(zai)使用端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)時，總會自然靈感頓生、筆(bi)下(xia)(xia)生花。宋(song)代是端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)發展最鼎盛時期，舉國上(shang)下(xia)(xia)文風四起、不(bu)少政治家、文學家和書畫藝(yi)術(shu)家們(men)(men)對端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)如癡如醉真正把(ba)端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)推向了最高(gao)巔峰。如歐陽修、王安之(zhi)、蘇(su)東坡等人(ren)。說到清(qing)代不(bu)能不(bu)提的是清(qing)高(gao)宗乾隆皇帝，對端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)特別喜愛(ai)，在(zai)宮內所(suo)藏(zang)端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)，據《西清(qing)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)譜》記載有(you)62方，每方端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)都(dou)有(you)它(ta)的刻銘，并對端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)大加贊賞，視端(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)為(wei)珍稀之(zhi)寶。
【文化積淀】
端硯被歷(li)代(dai)帝王將(jiang)相、文(wen)人(ren)墨(mo)客(ke)及鑒賞收藏人(ren)士譽為“文(wen)房寶中寶”“天(tian)下第一硯”之美名。千百年來它以“歷(li)劫萬(wan)年而(er)不朽”的堅固特(te)性和巧奪天(tian)工的硯雕藝術(shu)而(er)被歷(li)代(dai)帝王將(jiang)相和文(wen)人(ren)墨(mo)客(ke)所推崇。尋找端州制硯歷(li)史溯源而(er)上，或許能更為清(qing)晰地傾聽到端州深遠文(wen)明根脈跳動的聲音。
【知識鏈接】
端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的使(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)、保(bao)養與珍藏。我國歷代的文人雅(ya)士十分重(zhong)(zhong)視端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的使(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)、保(bao)養與珍藏，在實(shi)踐中(zhong)積累了許(xu)多行之(zhi)有(you)效(xiao)的經(jing)驗。使(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)和保(bao)養端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)，不(bu)(bu)(bu)僅(jin)是(shi)保(bao)護硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)臺(tai)本(ben)身不(bu)(bu)(bu)受破損(sun)，更重(zhong)(zhong)要的是(shi)保(bao)持端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的整(zheng)體完美和研(yan)(yan)墨(mo)使(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)。端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)石質細膩、幼嫩、滋潤，首先與水(shui)(shui)(shui)有(you)著(zhu)(zhu)非(fei)常密切的關系(xi)，特別是(shi)老(lao)坑石，洞內終年積水(shui)(shui)(shui)，硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)石常年浸(jin)泡在水(shui)(shui)(shui)中(zhong)，使(shi)之(zhi)幼嫩滋潤，故(gu)此(ci)古人提出了“以(yi)水(shui)(shui)(shui)養硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)”結(jie)論，即(ji)(ji)以(yi)清(qing)(qing)水(shui)(shui)(shui)注(zhu)于(yu)(yu)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)池，加以(yi)保(bao)養。端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)是(shi)研(yan)(yan)墨(mo)之(zhi)器(qi)具，如果硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)堂(tang)中(zhong)經(jing)常沾(zhan)滿殘留著(zhu)(zhu)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)剩的宿墨(mo)，就會影響端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的實(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)效(xiao)果，久(jiu)而久(jiu)之(zhi)，端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)的石質就會出現干燥、粗糙。此(ci)外(wai)，新啟用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)的端(duan)(duan)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)，如偶遇發墨(mo)不(bu)(bu)(bu)好，可用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)杉木燒成木炭粉末沾(zhan)水(shui)(shui)(shui)，以(yi)毛刷(shua)磨(mo)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)臺(tai)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)堂(tang)數(shu)遍，然后用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)清(qing)(qing)水(shui)(shui)(shui)洗滌乾凈，即(ji)(ji)可發墨(mo)。至于(yu)(yu)研(yan)(yan)墨(mo)，一(yi)般有(you)兩(liang)種方法，一(yi)是(shi)習(xi)慣(guan)性自左而右打圈研(yan)(yan)磨(mo)；二是(shi)“拉鋸式(shi)”的研(yan)(yan)磨(mo)，即(ji)(ji)將(jiang)墨(mo)條在硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)堂(tang)中(zhong)來回推動。要注(zhu)意：研(yan)(yan)墨(mo)時墨(mo)條應(ying)該垂直，心平氣和，重(zhong)(zhong)按(an)輕轉(zhuan)，先慢后逐(zhu)漸加快，但不(bu)(bu)(bu)能急于(yu)(yu)求成。研(yan)(yan)墨(mo)時一(yi)定(ding)要用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)清(qing)(qing)水(shui)(shui)(shui)，切忌用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)開水(shui)(shui)(shui)更不(bu)(bu)(bu)可用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)茶或污水(shui)(shui)(shui)。加水(shui)(shui)(shui)研(yan)(yan)磨(mo)時，應(ying)使(shi)用(yong)(yong)(yong)(yong)硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)滴。更不(bu)(bu)(bu)能將(jiang)墨(mo)條浸(jin)在墨(mo)堂(tang)中(zhong)待其發軟才(cai)研(yan)(yan)磨(mo)，這樣(yang)既損(sun)墨(mo)又傷硯(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)(yan)研(yan)(yan)出的墨(mo)汁不(bu)(bu)(bu)僅(jin)色無(wu)光澤，且濃淡不(bu)(bu)(bu)勻(yun)。
給生活一把琴 
