The brush holder comprised one of the ’Four Precious Things‘ along with the inkstand, ink stone and brushes that were used during the Tiandihui initiation ceremony. These writing tools were used to record the oaths and laws of the Ming. They were symbolic representations of the Confucian custom of transmitting truth and knowledge to future generations. The brush holder forms part of the William Stirling Collection. William George Stirling was the Assistant Protector of Chinese in Singapore from 1921 to 1931.
