Scholar Stone

Description

These beautiful stones are called Chinese Scholar’s Stones. The stones are sculpted by the wind and water, and they are also referred to as Gongshi stones, or spirit stones. These Scholar stones are appreciated simply for their dramatic form, their wondrous colors, or feelings they evoke from the viewer. Gongshi evolved from Chinese garden stones, which vary in height up to 5 or 6 feet. Some Chinese literati and Taoist monks wanted to bring these “portable mountains” or garden stones into their studios for meditation and contemplation while they wrote, painted, studied and meditated. So smaller Scholar stones were found and initially received as valued gifts. The gongshi stones gained great favor among the literati and the Imperial Court and have remained popular for over 1,000 years. These stones are one of several different varieties of Scholar Stone, known as “viewing stone” or “painting stone.” They are also referred to as “sky landscape stones (tianjing shi). These painting stones originate from a small, remote region of Southern China. These stones come from a newly discovered deposit in the GuangXi Autonomous Region of South China. Only one mine in the world yields these dramatic stones. Each stone has a different landscape and story to tell. Some of the stones seem animated and inspiring. They often provoke thought and captivate the viewer. The gongshi stones convey serenity and tranquility as well as a sense of strength. Some of the more animated landscape scenes seem to fly, dance, or jump. Discriminating collectors value these stones for their beauty, and often associate these stones with harmony, joy and good fortune. Often these stones become heirlooms, and are treasured by generations. It is in this Spirit of joy and harmony that these stones are offered to you. This particular stone displays such an interesting landscape, full of earthy tans and browns and beiges. I see the earth boldly moving and tree limbs swaying, but you may visualize something other than that in this landscape stone. Part of the beauty and mystique of the scholar stones is that everyone sees different scenes in them, as they see them through their own filter of experience or lens. This stone weighs 7.04 pounds, measures 10 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 5 inches high.