Moreover, Bai stated calligraphers and painters can order special ink brushes to accommodate their differing styles and demands of ink strokes. This thoughtful service has secured loyalty of numerous celebrity users. For instance, Daiyuexuan provided famed painter Qi Baishi (1864-1957) with painting brushes free of charge when he was not such a well-known figure. After Qi became one of the leading painters in China, he continued to order his brushes from Daiyuexuan. Today, the company remains the top brush provider for many noteworthy figures who enjoy traditional calligraphy and painting.

Cultural heritage

As a brand with 98 years of history, the inheritance and development of traditional skills are essential. Apart from different brush-making skills and standards, its current business layout is almost the same as in the old days.

Since its founding, the layout featuring "a store in the front and a workshop in the rear" has been employed. Today, there are 8-10 master workers in the workshop. Among these workers are two heirs of Daiyuexuan's brush-making skills, Wang and Teng Zhanmin, the latter of whom is a seal-cutting master, calligrapher and painter.

Daiyuexuan's Beijing plant produces only mid-range and high-end handmade ink brushes, while cheaper ones are produced in plants in Huzhou. "Materials are the core factor that determines the pricing of ink brushes," said Wang. "Today, it's harder and harder to collect rare and precious materials, which means good ink brushes are much more expensive than before."

Displayed in Daiyuexuan's store in Liulichang is a yellow weasel-haired brush, which is priced at 280,000 yuan ($45,000). "It took me about six years to finish this brush," said Wang. "Most of that time was spent collecting yellow weasel hair more than 12 cm long, because it is very hard to find wild yellow weasels with such long-haired tails."

Wang and his colleagues also pay extra attention toward creating new types of ink brushes designed to meet the needs of people in the modern era. For example, they even take orders from parents to make brushes out of the hair of their newborn children, to be passed down as a precious memento for years to come.

In the past, Daiyuexuan sold only ink brushes. In the 1980s, however, the company changed their product lineup and started to sell other traditional instruments, incorporating the other three "jewels of the study," as well as brush holders, brush hangers, paperweights, brush-rinsing pots, seals and seal ink. "Now, buyers can collect a complete set of the 'four jewels of the study' in our store," said Bai.

As early as 1993, Daiyuexuan was certificated as one of China's "time-honored brands." In 2004, it was honored as one of the country's most famous brands. Bai revealed that it is soon to be recognized as state-level intangible culture heritage. "The government has encouraged and supported us all the time," said Bai. "This has greatly facilitated the preservation of Daiyuexuan's skills." He added that the government grants Daiyuexuan a special subsidy every year to help it pass down its outstanding skills in brush making to future generations.

Bai pointed out that although advanced modern technologies are being discovered every day, the Daiyuexuan ink brush has not faded from the public sphere. He noted that the company's business situation has only improved with time. At present, it has over a dozen stores operating throughout the country. To catch up with the times, it also runs e-business on the Internet. Furthermore, Daiyuexuan provides fans of traditional culture with the opportunity to learn how to make their own handmade ink brushes. "This is a more vivid way in which to foster recognition of our traditional culture and this intangible cultural heritage," said Bai.