How to Care for Chinese Calligraphy Brushes: 10 Essential Tips for Longer Brush Life

Tips for Caring for Calligraphy Brushes:

1. Before using a new brush, "break it in" by washing away excess loose hairs (it is normal for a brush to shed 3–5 hairs in total). Try to wash the brush every day after writing, and avoid letting it dry out and harden.

2. Do not leave the brush unwashed or soak it in water every day, as this will damage the bristles: it may cause hair loss, splitting, or the bristles to fall out.

3. Add water to the ink promptly to prevent it from drying out and sticking to the bristles.

4. Clean the brush head with shampoo once every two weeks.

5. Do not keep the cap on a wet brush every day: this can cause hair loss, mold growth, and the brush head to fall off. Instead, hang it vertically to air dry naturally.

6. Do not leave the brush in a cup with the tip touching the bottom; it will deform overnight and be difficult to restore.

7. ⚠️ Do not trim the brush tip with scissors!!!!!!

8. When dipping the brush in ink, fully saturate the entire brush head. When scraping the brush, only scrape the tip. If the brush is scraped too dry, it will hold ink poorly, split easily, and wear out faster.

9. After writing a few characters, rotate the brush head to change direction, avoiding wear on a single side.

10. Brushes that have been used with gold, white, or colored ink should not be used for black ink.