JinChen Lantau Dream

[yazeh]

JinChen Lantau Dream

 

Ink Review # 232

---

 

🧾 Description 

Jinchen is a small Chinese ink manufacturer. After perusing their offerings on AliExpress, it seems that the inks are divided into chromo-shading, sheening, and shimmer inks. I bought a bottle after @LizEF's reviews and @A Smug Dill's  passionate posts on Reddit and FPN. 

 

Lantau Dream, originally 屿梦 (Yu Meng), meaning Island Dream, is named after Lantau Island, the biggest island of Hong Kong. 

 

I got this ink by mistake (I was aiming for another colour, but AliExpress can be confusing).   

The bottles are 18 ml and come in a plastic box. There's no indication of the name in English. 

 

 

 

It’s a classic teal ink with a red sheen. The sheen is visible with the EF, F, or flex nibs only on Midori, Iroful, and Tomoe River 68gsm in my tests below. 

 

The lubrication is out of this world, especially with B & 1.1 nibs, making the nib float. 

 

Ink bled through with almost all nibs on copy paper. 

 

Ink has no water resistance, and, like most sheening inks, it is messy and will stain your fingers.

 

I had to resort to cleaning solution and pen jacuzzi after several flushing and soaking. 

 

 

---

 

🧪 Chroma

 

 

 

---

 

✍️ Writing Samples (scan & photos)

Scans are approximate. Photos are most accurate. 

- Pens Used: Osmiroid Copperplate EEF flex nib,  Lamy (EF/F/M/B/ Stub 1.1). 

 

Quotes: 

Rhodia (A4 Black DotPad)
“The night gave me dark eyes; I use them to seek light.”
— Gu Cheng (1956–1993), Chinese poet

Iroful
“The sea enters the harbor quietly, carrying the smell of distant rain.”
— Yesi (Leung Ping-kwan) (1949–2013), Hong Kong poet

Midori A5 (Codex)
“The city floats like an island in a sea of light.”
— Xi Xi (1937–2022), Hong Kong novelist and poet

Tomoe River 68gsm A5 (Taroko Design)
“I do not believe the sky is blue.”
— Bei Dao (born 1949), Chinese poet

Hammermill 20lb
“After fresh rain in empty mountains, autumn air comes at dusk.”
— Wang Wei (699–759), Tang dynasty poet and painter

English translations are by ChatGPT and may differ from published translations.

 

 

Rhodia 

 

 

 

Iroful

 

 

 

Midori 

 

 

 

Tomoe River 68gsm

Note: Tomoe River used here is 68 gsm, not the thinner 52 gsm version commonly referenced in reviews.

 

 

 

Hammermill 20lb  

 

 

 

 

Closeup

 

 

 

 

 🔍 Comparison

Col-O-ring. Scans are approximative. 

 

 

 

---

 💧 Water Test

 

 

 

---

 🎨 Artwork

Puttin' on the Ritz

Inktober52 – Prompt 8: Pretend

Cat & Mouse like puttin’ on the Ritz when the world looks blue, pretending everything will be okay as long as there’s imagination.

 

Kitty Ink Pot Unstoppable Snake, Jinchen Lantau Dream, Yellow highlighter, Signo White gel pen

Talens Mixed Media Sketchbook.

 

 

Inktober day 9: Horse

 

Miniature: Cat & mouse go for a ride on horsy.  

 

Kitty Ink Pot, Unstoppable Snake, JinChen Lantau Dream, ink brush, fountain pen, Talens Sketchbook Pocket.

 

 

In the Now

Inspired by the majestic Buddha on Lantau Island near Hong Kong, reimagined through my cat & mouse theme.

JinChen - Lantau Island ink, Brause Blue Pumpkin nib, Talens Mixed Media Sketchbook. 

 

 

 

---

- Writing Experience: Excellent. 

- What I Liked: Lubrication. Price. 

- What I Did Not Like: Not my colour. Lack of water resistance. Staining my fingers. 

 

 🧷 Ink Characteristics

- Shading: With wider nibs the sheen becomes shading. 

- Ghosting: Faint on copy paper. 

- Bleed Through: Yes, on copy paper, unless used with an EEF nib and a light touch. 

- Flow Rate: Wet. 

- Lubrication: Excellent. 

- Nib Dry-out: No. 

- Start-up: No.

- Saturation: Saturated teal.

- Sheen: Only on Japanese Paper. 

- Spread / Feathering / Woolly Line: Did not notice.

- Nib Creep / Crud: Did not notice.

- Staining (Pen):

- Clogging: No.

- Cleaning: I had to resort to cleaning solution after several flashings and soakings.  

- Water Resistance: No. 

 

---

 

 🛒 Availability

 - Available in 18 ml bottles from AliExpress. 

 ---

 

 💬 Closing

This is a decent sheening ink from JinChen that only works if you use Japanese paper and finer nibs or a wet pen. The price, unlike other Chinese inks, is decent and shipping takes about two weeks. However, if you understand Chinese and have the patience to navigate Taobao and can withstand the long shipping time by boat, you can get the whole series for the price of one bottle. 

 

No fountain pens were harmed in preparing this review.

 

Please don’t hesitate to share your experience, writing samples, or any other comments — the more the merrier.  

 

[LizEF]

Thanks for braving AliExpress and sheen flakes to bring us this review of an ink you didn't intend to buy, @yazeh!  You're a braver man than I, Yazeh-din.

 

Sheening inks often have really good lubrication - I assume the high concentration of dye does the trick.  (And I assume the same reason is why it took more effort to clean.)

 

Chroma is interesting, though the separate colors don't inspire me. I like the bluer/tealer color in the photos better than the greener color of the scans.   From the green comparison swatches, I would guess the greener look is more accurate.

 

Good quotes. The one about not believing the sky is blue makes me sad.  (I assume it's a reference to pollution, though I suppose it could be about something else.)

 

Gilligan's water test!   (After kindergarten, I would race to my grandparent's basement (which was across the driveway from our home) to watch Gilligan's Island on the color TV. Then I'd go home.  )

 

The drawings are wonderful.  Love the Lamy-nib background in the Ritz  (What can I say, my eyes see nibs!)  Your horsey is wonderfully drawn, and mousey balancing on the Buddha's hand makes me smile.

 

Great review!

[Sailor Kenshin]

The chroma and artwork are superb!  The tealish green, very springlike (my poor snowdrops are finally up, yay).

 

Thanks, @yazeh.  These are interesting inks, even if I find them Unobtainium.

 

👏🏻 😸 🎉

[yazeh]

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Thanks for braving AliExpress and sheen flakes to bring us this review of an ink you didn't intend to buy, @yazeh!

I spent a day believing they had sent me the wrong ink. With a lot of sleuthing an AI help, I realized I'd ordered the wrong one.  

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 You're a braver man than I, Yazeh-din.

I thought of getting you Mao She and the other one.  

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Sheening inks often have really good lubrication - I assume the high concentration of dye does the trick.  (And I assume the same reason is why it took more effort to clean.)

Ironically, the Diamine sheening inks were easier to clean.

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Chroma is interesting, though the separate colors don't inspire me. I like the bluer/tealer color in the photos better than the greener color of the scans.   From the green comparison swatches, I would guess the greener look is more accurate.

It's a green with a lot blue in it. The moment a drop of H₂O touches it, the teal nature emerges.  

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Good quotes. The one about not believing the sky is blue makes me sad.  (I assume it's a reference to pollution, though I suppose it could be about something else.)

No. It's political., but you've captured the sadness imbed in the sentence.  According to big brother, Chat: "The line is not about pollution. In Chinese the word 天 (tiān) can mean both sky and heaven, so the sentence carries a tone of skepticism toward accepted truths. Bei Dao wrote it after the Cultural Revolution as part of a poem rejecting imposed certainties — “I do not believe the sky is blue” means refusing to accept reality simply because authority says it is so."

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Gilligan's water test!   (After kindergarten, I would race to my grandparent's basement (which was across the driveway from our home) to watch Gilligan's Island on the color TV. Then I'd go home.  )

That must have been fun. With grape juice popsicle I bet.  

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

The drawings are wonderful.  Love the Lamy-nib background in the Ritz  (What can I say, my eyes see nibs!) 

It must have been subconscious.  

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

Your horsey is wonderfully drawn, and mousey balancing on the Buddha's hand makes me smile.

A smile is the best reward.  

38 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Great review!

Thanks! 🙏

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

The chroma and artwork are superb!

Thanks!

2 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 The tealish green, very springlike (my poor snowdrops are finally up, yay).

You're lucky! We're in the melt period but no greenery in sight yet.  

2 hours ago, Sailor Kenshin said:

 

Thanks, @yazeh.  These are interesting inks, even if I find them Unobtainium.

 

👏🏻 😸 🎉

Most welcome. They are easily available from Aliexpress.  

[LizEF]

42 minutes ago, yazeh said:

I thought of getting you Mao She and the other one.

 Thanks! The thought means as much to me as the deed.

 

42 minutes ago, yazeh said:

No. It's political.

That was my alternate idea. You go, Bei Dao - never believe what the folks in power tell you just cuz they're in power.

 

42 minutes ago, yazeh said:

With grape juice popsicle I bet.

 I don't remember Popsicles from then, but after we'd moved away, every time we returned for a visit, Grandpa would take us out to the giant deep freeze in the garage and give us a Popsicle and say, "Now don't tell Grandma." One time, he was out of Popsicles, so he walked us to the store and back to get some. I have vague memories of Mom asking where we'd been for so long. 

[yazeh]

26 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 Thanks! The thought means as much to me as the deed.

26 minutes ago, LizEF said:

 

 I don't remember Popsicles from then, but after we'd moved away, every time we returned for a visit, Grandpa would take us out to the giant deep freeze in the garage and give us a Popsicle and say, "Now don't tell Grandma." One time, he was out of Popsicles, so he walked us to the store and back to get some. I have vague memories of Mom asking where we'd been for so long. 

What a lovely story. My grandma had a freezer full of every type of ice cream and popsicles. We could choose one after lunch. She joined us too. 😊

[inkstainedruth]

Hmmm.  This one is definitely interesting (is it my imagination, or do a lot of sheening inks have the sheen on the opposite side of a color wheel than the base color?); but the apparent lack of water resistance could be problematic, as it the possibility being able to get this ink in the US.

But thanks usual for the comprehensive review -- and of course the further adventures of Kitty and Mouse are always fun to see!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[yazeh]

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

Hmmm.  This one is definitely interesting (is it my imagination, or do a lot of sheening inks have the sheen on the opposite side of a color wheel than the base color?);

I won't know that, as I avoid them as much as I can.  

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

but the apparent lack of water resistance could be problematic, as it the possibility being able to get this ink in the US.

The only way is from Aliexpress. It's quite cheap for what is.  

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

But thanks usual for the comprehensive review -- and of course the further adventures of Kitty and Mouse are always fun to see!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Most welcome! 

[Baggins]

Continue a big fan of your reviews and art.

why do you prefer Tomoe 68 over 52gsm? I find that option interesting.

never tried 68gsm.

Taobao… I tried, but gave up 😐

👌🙏☮️

[yazeh]

3 hours ago, Baggins said:

Continue a big fan of your reviews and art.

Thanks. 🙏

3 hours ago, Baggins said:

why do you prefer Tomoe 68 over 52gsm? I find that option interesting.

never tried 68gsm.

I don't like thin papers in general. I tried  this one per chance and I liked it. I got a big notebook (Taroko Design) and stuck with it.

 

3 hours ago, Baggins said:

Taobao… I tried, but gave up 😐

👌🙏☮️

Go with AliExpress, if you like this or other ones.

 

[Baggins]

On 3/9/2026 at 8:07 PM, yazeh said:

Go with AliExpress, if you like this or other ones.

 

Yep, that will be the plan. 👍🙏

[yazeh]

On 3/10/2026 at 6:31 PM, Baggins said:

Yep, that will be the plan. 👍🙏