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Extraordinary Chinese Scholar Rock Ying Stone on Stand

Origin

China

Period

19th Century

Materials

stone on wood stand

Dimensions

W.	7 in;	H.	18 in;	D.	5 in;
W.	17.78 cm;	H.	45.72 cm;	D.	12.7 cm;

Condition

Good. Natural stone formation with weathered surface, wood base is in good condition.

Creation Date

19thc entury

Description

Ying stone was harvested from from Guangdong province in Southern China, one of the four famous types of Chinese viewing stones (also known as Gongshi, meditation stone or spirit stone). Ying stone is priced for its wrinkled surface full of furrows and gullies and sculptural form that tends to be thin and slender, The stone best embodies the concepts of Shou (thinness) and Zhou (wrinkles), which are cherished by the collectors as it evokes the ideal of a mountainous landscape. The highly priced scholar rocks has long been revered by Chinese literati dating back to Tang/Song Dynasty. Formed through geologic processes, these rocks beguile connoisseurs with their dynamic form and the interplay of positive and negative space. The exodus of energy and enigma is mediated upon and interpreted by the individual viewer. More than decorative, the stones reflect a cultivated endeavor to contain the nature in one's study and mind.
The scholar rock on offer fully exemplifies the beauty of Ying stone. Gray in color, it has an extraordinary upright form rising from a small stem, like a mountain peeking out from the mist. It's poetic and slender form reminds one the limestone formation in exotic places like Zhangjiajie. The surface is remarkable with pronounced schisms, gullies, folding lines, and even a formation of an opening in the center and a hanging cliff on the left side. It appears impossibly but somehow perfectly balanced. Different sceneries are revealed when viewed from different angles.
For two similar Ying stone, see illustrations on 90 and 92 in the book " Spirit Stone The Ancient Art of the Scholar's Rock by Kemin Hu and Thomas S. Elias".

Styles / Movements

Asian, Bespoke, Traditional

Patterns

Abstract, Asian/Oriental

Incollect Reference Number

457104