The vessel is in the shape of a crouching tiger and its colour belongs to  the eel yellow among Chengni-inkstones. It is a product recreated by the imperial craftsman who adopted the Jiangzhou Chengni formular. The surface of the inkstone is covered with the mottled green patination and some sprinkling gold. The head of the recumbent tiger is simply carved, with two small sharp ears. It also has two cat-like protruding eyes. The side of the inkstone has some thin edges. The wide edge of the cover can be buckled with the inkstone body. The interior of the cover is carved with an imperial poem referring to the shape of the inkstone.