The duan stone comes from the area around the Duanxi River in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province. It has a fine-grained body and smooth surface. They are also prized for the unique natural features such as 'green spots' or 'stone eyes'. The beauty of the duan inkstone is often derived from the successful combination of the decoration and the natural stone markings. For centuries, duan inkstones have been regarded as the finest inkstones of all.This inkstone is carved in the shape of a gourd with pea-pod motifs. There are several green spots on the ink pool and its underside which the carver did not incorporate into the design. The stone could have been mined from Songkeng.
