A bamboo fly-whisk, Ming dynasty | 明 竹根編棕絲拂麈

The bamboo fly-whisk is crafted with a natural bamboo forming the handle, with its original gnarled form preserved. The tip of the handle is intricately woven with palm fibre forming the hairs of the whisk. The sturdy bamboo handle of the fly-whisk is of a lustrous reddish-brown colour, showcasing patination that has taken place over the centuries.

The history of whisks can be traced back to ancient China, particularly during the Wei and Jin periods, when literati often engaged in intellectual discussions while holding a whisk, and the whisk reflects not only the cultural trends of the time but also encapsulates the elegance and refinement of scholars.

「竹根編棕絲拂麈」，天然竹根隨形巧作成握柄，保留其奇形，瘢痕、瘤節等自然型態。柄首以棕櫚絲編成細密的拂子，高古飄逸渾然天成。此竹根系底部橫莖，其形有扁有圓如皮鞭，又稱竹鞭。本器精選奇材，藉以歲月，故堅實遒勁，色澤紅潤，包漿瑩徹。

拂麈昔時稱麈尾。麈尾的歷史可以追溯到古代，尤其在魏晉時期，文人雅士常常手持麈尾進行清談，這種傳統不僅體現了當時的文化風尚，也象徵著文士的雅致與涵養。