Xuan writing brush Xuan writing brush Xuan writing brush or Xuanbi (), is a type of ink brush made in Anhui Province, China. Xuan brushes are often mentioned together with the famous Xuan paper - a kind of writing paper (rice-paper). The ink brushes are normally made in Jingxian County (currently Jing County) of Anhui Province. In ancient times, Jingxian County was under the jurisdiction of Xuanzhou Prefecture (宣州府; Xuān-Zhōu Fǔ; currently Xuancheng), so its name bears the character "Xuan" (Xuān). The Xuan brushes gained popularity in Jin Dynasty (256-420) among classic scholars, governmental officials, calligraphists and painters. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907)
Wen Xuan criticized throughout Chinese history for a number of odd or illogical choices. A large number of manuscripts and fragments of the "Wen Xuan" have survived to modern times. Many were discovered among the Dunhuang manuscripts and are held in various museums around the world, particularly at the British Library and Bibliothèque Nationale de France, as well as in Japan, where the "Wen Xuan" was well known from at least the 7th century. One Japanese manuscript, held in the Eisei Bunko Museum, is a rare fragment of a "Wen Xuan" commentary that may predate Li Shan's authoritative commentary from the mid-6th