Ancient Chinese Scholars Drank 600ml Ink
The punishment for poor handwriting during the Sui dynasty was to consume one sheng of ink, equivalent to 600 millilitres, but some scholars also drank it to boost their literary skills
In ancient China, scholars drank ink as a form of punishment for poor handwriting or to seek poetic inspiration. The practice dates back to the Northern and Southern dynasties, which lasted from 420 to 589.
The earliest documentation of ink drinking comes from this period, where it was used as a sanctioned punishment for scholars with illegible handwriting. During the Sui dynasty, which lasted from 581 to 618, scholars who presented poor handwriting during an exam faced the penalty of consuming one sheng of ink.
One sheng of ink was equivalent to 600 millilitres during the Sui period. This traditional Chinese unit of volume varied by dynasty.
The practice of drinking ink as a punishment was abolished after Li Shimin ascended the throne in the Tang dynasty, which lasted from 618 to 907.
However, some scholars willingly consumed ink to enhance their literary skills. Ancient Chinese ink was produced using soot from burning natural plants or animal oils, unlike today's inks made from industrial pigments.
## Why it matters The practice of drinking ink may seem unusual today, but it highlights the importance of handwriting and literary skills in ancient Chinese culture. The fact that some scholars willingly consumed ink to boost their skills shows the value they placed on their craft. The abolition of the practice as a punishment also marks a shift in the way scholars were assessed and valued during the Tang dynasty.
