中国的竹雕艺术源远流长，学术、考古界一直认为，远在纸墨笔砚发明之前，中华先民们已经学会用刀在柱子上刻字记事。这种最原始的竹雕，应该先于甲骨文。因为，甲骨文已经具备书法艺术的三个要素，而所谓竹刻记事，最初刻的仅仅是符号。China's bamboo carving art has a long history. Academic and archaeological circles have always believed that long before the invention of paper, ink, pen and inkstone, the Chinese ancestors had learned to carve characters on pillars with knives. This most primitive bamboo carving should precede oracle bone inscriptions. Because oracle bone inscriptions already have the three elements of calligraphy art, and the so-called bamboo carving notes were originally carved only with symbols.

笔筒材质多样，有瓷、木、竹、漆、玉、紫砂等。其中，最为常见且流行的， 便为竹制笔筒。竹在中国是有着特殊文化意蕴的植物。竹子的特点是中空外直，宁折不屈， 因此国人一向以竹子作为气节、风骨和虚心、谦恭的象征或代表，而这些品质正是中国传统儒家道德的精髓。竹与“梅、兰、菊”一起被称为“四君子”， 和“松、梅”一起则被称为“岁寒三友”，历来为文人所尊崇，成为古人争相歌咏的主要对象之一。此件笔筒圆口直壁，外壁减地浮雕孩童牧牛图，孩童双手牵线，身体前倾，面露喜悦，老牛四肢健壮，右边后蹄子高高抬起，抬头偏右，似在奔跑。人物动物雕琢精致，流畅自然。竹雕也称竹刻，是以竹为材质雕刻而成的工艺品， 清末古玩收藏家赵汝珍在《古玩指南·竹刻》中写道： “竹刻者，刻竹也。其作品与书画同，不过以刀代笔， 以竹为纸耳。”Pen containers are made of various materials, including porcelain, wood, bamboo, lacquer, jade, purple sand, etc. Among them, the most common and popular is bamboo pen container. Bamboo is a plant with special cultural implication in China. Bamboo is characterized by being hollow and straight, rather than folded and unyielding. Therefore, Chinese people have always taken bamboo as a symbol or representative of integrity, integrity, modesty and humility, and these qualities are the essence of Chinese traditional Confucian morality. Bamboo, together with "plum, orchid and chrysanthemum" are called "four gentlemen" and "pine and plum" are called "three friends of cold age". They have always been respected by scholars and become one of the main objects sung by ancient people. This pen container has a round mouth and a straight wall, and its outer wall is relief-embossed with a picture of a child herding cattle. The child's hands are tied together, the body leans forward, the face shows joy, the old cow has strong limbs, the rear hoof on the right is raised high, the head is on the right, and it seems to be running. The figures and animals are exquisitely carved, smooth and natural. Bamboo carving, also known as bamboo carving, is a handicraft carved from bamboo. Zhao Ruzhen, an antiques collector in the late Qing Dynasty, wrote in "Antique Guide to Bamboo Carving:" Bamboo carvers carve bamboo. His works are the same as calligraphy and painting, but he uses a knife instead of a pen and bamboo as a paper ear. "

明代文人屠隆在《文具雅编》中写道：“湘竹为之， 以紫檀乌木棱口镶座为雅，余不入品。”明文震亨也对竹木笔筒情有独钟，在《长物志》中载：“笔筒，湘竹， 栟榈者佳。”清代扬州竹雕大家潘西凤曾在笔筒上以隶书刻款曰：“虚其心，坚其节，供我文房，与共朝夕。”由此可见竹雕笔筒在文人心中的崇高地位和独特魅力。Tu Long, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty, wrote in "Stationery and Elegant Weaving": "Hunan bamboo is made of it, rosewood and ebony are inlaid with a seat for elegance, and nothing else is added." Wen zhenheng of Ming dynasty also has a special liking for bamboo and wood pen containers. in "long Wu zhi", it is stated: "pen containers, Hunan bamboo and palm palm are better." Pan Xifeng, a famous bamboo carver in Yangzhou in the Qing Dynasty, once wrote in official script on the pen container, saying: "Empty your heart, strengthen your integrity, and provide me with a study room to share the day and night." This shows the lofty position and unique charm of bamboo carving pen container in the hearts of literati.

明清时期文具爱好之风兴盛，装饰书房成为文人墨客们的一大嗜好。因此，各种式样精美的笔筒应运而生，而这一时期又是中国手工业大发展的时代，此时竹刻名家辈出，他们将中国画中的山水、人物、花鸟、亭台楼阁等章法结构再现在笔筒表面，表现出当时文人隐逸的思想情趣。使竹刻艺术从实用转变成为供人们鉴赏收藏的艺术品，到了清代笔筒制作工艺更为讲究，许多供皇室御用的笔筒，成为中国历代工艺品宝库中的精品。Stationery hobby flourished in Ming and Qing dynasties, and decorating study became a major hobby of scholars. Therefore, all kinds of exquisite pen containers came into being, and this period was also an era of great development of China's handicraft industry. At this time, there were a large number of famous bamboo carvers. They reappeared on the surface of the pen container the composition of Chinese paintings such as landscapes, figures, flowers and birds, pavilions and pavilions, showing the hermit sentiment of the literati at that time. The bamboo carving art has been transformed from practical to art for people to appreciate and collect. In the Qing Dynasty, the making process of pen containers was even more exquisite. Many pen containers for royal use have become fine works in the treasure house of Chinese arts and crafts of past dynasties.