胡承嵩
長島砣磯硯石,源于長島北部砣磯島。石材產(chǎn)于砣磯島磨石嘴村西北部懸崖下的山泉水眼處。含有絹云母、硬綠泥石、石英、白鈦、黃銅、電氣石等多種物質(zhì),造就了石材金星閃爍,雪浪翻涌,潤剛相濟的奇特品質(zhì),得名“金星雪浪石”。用這種石材雕刻成硯俗稱“金星雪浪硯”。據(jù)史料記載,此硯在宋初很有名氣,據(jù)此推斷,當(dāng)產(chǎn)于宋代以前。 2013年,長島砣磯硯雕刻技藝被列入山東省非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)名錄。
北宋政治家、書法家兼硯臺收藏家唐詢,在所作《硯錄》中,特別講到了“登州砣基島石”:昔登州砣基島石,其色青黑,上有螺紋金星,亦甚發(fā)墨,全類歙石。文中提到的“砣基島”即“砣磯島”。歙石,是中國古代著名的硯石之一,因產(chǎn)于今安徽南部的古歙州而得名。唐詢對砣磯硯石的喜愛,說明砣磯硯石早在北宋時期就已經(jīng)有了較大的知名度。
清雍正時期,砣磯硯作為國寶被朝廷收藏。據(jù)清代內(nèi)務(wù)府造辦處檔案記載:“雍正七年十月二十五日,太監(jiān)張玉貴、王常柱交來華玉木匣鼉磯硯九方,傳旨養(yǎng)心殿造辦處收藏著。”從那時起,砣磯硯成為皇帝的御用之物。
砣磯硯石的最初流傳,應(yīng)當(dāng)是由唐、宋時期駐防軍隊而起。宋初以后得到上流社會和文人墨客賞識珍藏,明清時尤為顯赫,成為帝王的御用之物,記入正史。
鼉砣磯硯石分金星雪浪石和金星雪浪硯兩個概念,明末之前,主要由駐守官兵在砣磯島磨石嘴村西北高崖下海灘邊撿拾石料,而后帶入內(nèi)陸。民間采石制硯是在明末清初,由私塾先生首始,后由民間大戶征集內(nèi)陸制硯工匠,進行小規(guī)模的開采加工。因金星雪浪石料僅存于高崖下泉眼周圍,礦量很少,世代制硯者無論采石還是制硯,都極為珍重講究,流傳下來,就形成了既有匠心獨運的審美眼光,又有精巧熟練雕刻技術(shù)的審石、相石、畫石、雕石、磨石一整套獨特嚴(yán)謹(jǐn)?shù)牟僮饕?guī)程和加工工藝。
審石。主要體現(xiàn)在礦洞開采和海邊拾取石料階段。在開采之前,制硯師傅首先要審視好石料紋理的走向及整體結(jié)構(gòu),然后尋石縫打入鑿子,再按層理撬下板材。由上而下,自左而右循序開采。采下的石料需精心挑選,質(zhì)地差、裂痕多的不能要;體積過小、不成形狀的也不能要。
相石。是把運回的石料上下左右仔細觀察揣摩,根據(jù)石質(zhì)、紋理形狀,在心中構(gòu)思出石硯的理想圖形。這是制硯的重要環(huán)節(jié),一定由長眼師傅親自操作。砣磯硯每方形狀各有不同,藝術(shù)造詣高的長眼師傅,多能根據(jù)材質(zhì)特點,定出美輪美奐、活靈活現(xiàn)的石硯圖形,做到質(zhì)、形、色、紋相得益彰,不虧料,不廢料。
畫石。把構(gòu)思設(shè)計好的圖案,用鐵錐刻畫在石料上,稱作“畫石”。操作過程是先用毛筆把確定好的圖案按設(shè)計要求繪制在石料上,再用鐵錐尋圖刻畫。這也是一種藝術(shù)創(chuàng)作的過程,像《砣基石五螭硯》,墨池中獨刻一蟠螭,框邊四螭繞之,形象俊雅俏美,神態(tài)生動傳神。畫石功力的高低,決定了砣磯硯由好硯向名硯攀登的關(guān)鍵點。
雕硯。是把畫在石料上的圖案,雕刻成淺浮雕。古時雕刻用的金屬工具硬度較差,雕刻時需用水把石料浸透,這樣既能降低石料的硬度增強韌性,不宜在雕刻中崩料,造成破損;又能保護工具長久耐用。雕刻珍貴石料,由雕功深厚的工匠獨立進行,講究的是輕鑿、慢鏟、細刻,心力穩(wěn)、臂力足、手力輕,眼中看到的是平面圖案,心里呈現(xiàn)的是立體的浮雕。
磨石。將雕刻好的石硯進行打磨,稱“磨石”。方法是將用細籮篩出的細金剛沙撒到硯面上,用粗布來回打磨,直到去除石皮、石粉及紋理中的軟物質(zhì),使淺浮雕圖案更加生動圓潤,硯面光滑細膩。磨石一般在師傅監(jiān)督下由徒工操作,形體較大,圖案復(fù)雜的石硯,許多天才能磨好。
砣磯古硯,所得者一般喜好加上銘文或收藏者名號。制硯時,需根據(jù)硯的大小,圖案的形態(tài)預(yù)留相應(yīng)空間,以使后加的銘文同硯的整體造型、圖案花式渾然一體,和諧有致。
Changdao Tuoji inkstones originated in Tuoji Island in the north of Changdao Islands. The stone materials are produced at the mouth of a spring at the foot of a cliff in the northwest of Moshizui Village, Tuoji Island. Containing many minerals such as sericite, chloritoid, quartz, titanium, brass, and tourmaline, these stones are scattered with glittering golden stars and snow wave patterns, thus getting the name of “Jinxing Xuelang Stone”, meaning stones with glittering golden stars and snow wave patterns. Inkstones carved from these smooth and hard stones are commonly known as “Jinxing Xuelang Inkstones”. Since they were already very famous in the early Song Dynas according to historical records, Tuoji inkstones must have begun to be produced before the Song Dynasty.
Tang Xun, a statesman, calligrapher and inkstone collector in the Northern Song Dynasty, specifically mentioned“Dengzhou Tuoji Island Stone” in his “Records of Inkstones”. According to him, Dengzhou Tuiji Island Stone, dark blue in color and with golden stars and spiral patterns, could produce high-quality ink just like She inkstone, one of the most famous inkstones in ancient China produced in the ancient Shezhou in the south of Anhui Province. Tang Xun’s love for Tuoji Inkstone indicates that Tuoji inkstones had already gained great popularity as early as in the Northern Song Dynasty.