Other Curio in National Palace Museum, part1

This inkstone is carved from a single piece of Tuan River stone with dense inclusions, often referred to as eyes, found on the reverse side. The color of the stone itself is greyish-black, and the eyes, oval in shape, are a yellowish-green with brownish-yellow points in the center resembling the pupils. The top of the stone on the reverse side is slightly damaged, and the section used for grinding the ink is carved with ninety-nine columns each containing an eye inclusion. The ink well is carved with a cloud-and-dragon design, with one giant dragon leading nine baby dragons, an allusion to the belief that the dragon bestows children. The four sides of the inkstone are decorated with geometric decorations. In addition, the right side has an inscription in Chinese characters in standard script that reads "Song Dynasty Tuan River Dragon-Cloud Inkstone with 99 Columns"; on the left side, also in standard script, is an inscription that reads "Kept in the Misty Rain Pavilion of the Summer Residence, Jehol." Finally, on the topmost side, inscribed in small Chinese characters in standard script, is the inscription "This stone was taken from old caverns six centuries past, and still retains its quality. The ink well is replete with auspicious clouds barely concealing a dragon leading nine young. On the reverse side are columns numbering ninety-nine, each having a mynah eye that seems to be looking at its viewers. It fills me with wonder..." This inscription ends with four Chinese characters that attribute it to the Qianlong emperor (r. 1736-1795), and two of his seals.