''Gongshi'' (), also known as scholar's rocks, are naturally occurring or shaped rocks which are traditionally appreciated by Chinese scholars.Metropolitan Museum of Art
"The World of Scholars' Rocks Gardens, Studios, and Paintings"
retrieved 2012-12-20. The term is related to the Korean '' suseok'' () and the Japanese '' suiseki'' (). Scholars' rocks can be any color, and contrasting colors are not uncommon. The size of the stone can also be quite varied: scholars' rocks can weigh hundreds of pounds or less than one pound. The term also identifies stones which are placed in traditional Chinese gardens.

History

In the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

, a set of four important qualities for the rocks were recognized. They are: thinness (瘦 shòu), openness (透 tòu), perforations (漏 lòu), and wrinkling (皺 zhòu). Gongshi influenced the development of Korean '' suseok'' and Japanese '' suiseki''.

Sources

There are three main Chinese sources for these stones. * Lingbi stone (''Lingbishi'') (Chinese: 灵璧石) from Lingbi,

Anhui Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze River ...

province, limestoneCousins, Craig. (2006)
''Bonsai Master Class,'' p. 246
Lingbi Stone and Asian Art Collection
. (2014) *

Taihu stone Taihu stone () or porous stone is a kind of limestone produced at the foot of Dongting Mountain () in Suzhou, which is close to Lake Tai. Due to long-term surging by water, this kind of stone features pores and holes. These stones are very popula ...

(''Taihushi'') (Chinese: 太湖石) from

Lake Tai Taihu (), also known as Lake Tai or Lake Taihu, is a lake in the Yangtze Delta and one of the largest freshwater lakes in China. The lake is in Jiangsu province and a significant part of its southern shore forms its border with Zhejiang. Wi ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its ca ...

province, limestone * Yingde stone (''Yingshi'' or ''Yingdeshi'') (Chinese: 英石 or 英德石) from

Yingde Yingde ( postal: Yingtak; ) is a historical city in the north of Guangdong Province, China. The city is on the Bei River, a tributary of the Pearl River. Administratively, it is part of the Qingyuan prefecture-level city. The principal varietie ...

Guangdong Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...

province, limestone The geological conditions needed for the formation of stones are also present at some other sites.

Formation

Scholar's stones are generally karstic limestone.

Limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

is water-soluble under some conditions.

Dissolution pitting Dissolution may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books * ''Dissolution'' (''Forgotten Realms'' novel), a 2002 fantasy novel by Richard Lee Byers * ''Dissolution'' (Sansom novel), a 2003 historical novel by C. J. Sansom Music * Dissolution, in mu ...

dissolves hollows in the limestone. On a larger scale, this causes

speleogenesis Speleogenesis is the origin and development of caves, the primary process that determines essential features of the hydrogeology of karst and guides its evolution. It often deals with the development of caves through limestone, caused by the presenc ...

(when caves dissolve in limestone bedrock). On a still larger scale, the dissolved caves collapse, gradually creating karst topography, such as the famous landscapes of

Guilin Guilin (Standard Zhuang: ''Gveilinz''; alternatively romanized as Kweilin) is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is situated on the west bank of the Li River and borders Hunan to the nort ...

in the

South China Karst The South China Karst (), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since June 2007, spans the provinces of Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan. It is noted for its karst features and landscapes as well as rich biodiversity. The site comprises seven clust ...

. As rocks are broadly fractal (geology journals require a scale to be included in images of rocks), the small rocks can resemble the larger landscape.

Aesthetics

The

aesthetics Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed t ...

of a scholar's rock is based on subtleties of color, shape, markings, surface, and sound. Prized qualities include: * awkward or overhanging asymmetryMendelson, John
"Chinese scholars' rocks simultaneously original and simulacrum" at ArtNet.com
1996; retrieved 2012-12-20> * resonance or ringing when struck * representation or resemblance to mountainous

landscapes A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the p ...

, particularly these believed to be inhabited by immortal beings or

figure Figure may refer to: General *A shape, drawing, depiction, or geometric configuration *Figure (wood), wood appearance *Figure (music), distinguished from musical motif *Noise figure, in telecommunication *Dance figure, an elementary dance pattern ...

texture Texture may refer to: Science and technology * Surface texture, the texture means smoothness, roughness, or bumpiness of the surface of an object * Texture (roads), road surface characteristics with waves shorter than road roughness * Texture ...

* moistness or glossy surface The stone may be displayed on a

rosewood Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. True rosewoods All genuine rosewoods belong to the genus ''Dalbergia''. The pre-eminent rosewood appreciated ...

pedestal that has been carved specifically for the stone. The stones are a traditional subject of Chinese paintings.Harvard Museums
"Scholar's rock", 1993 painting
Linrothe, Robert N. (2004)
''Paradise and Plumage: Chinese Connections in Tibetan Arhat Painting,'' p. 24
retrieved 2012-12-20.

Gallery

File:太湖賞石-Rock in the form of a fantastic mountain MET DT208239.jpg, Taihu limestone File:山形靈璧石-Rock in the Form of a Fantastic Mountain MET L37147 2011 575 3ab.jpg, Black Lingbi limestone File:靈璧賞石-Rock in the form of a fantastic mountain MET DP350726.jpg, Gray Lingbi limestone File:靈璧賞石-Rock in the form of a fantastic mountain MET DT208238.jpg, Black Lingbi limestone File:Taihu rock, China, Qing dynasty, limestone with hongmu wood base - Princeton University Art Museum - DSC07081.jpg, Taihu limestone

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline, Scholar's rocks
Visuals and examples of scholar rocks

Galleries of scholar rocks

Books on scholars' rocks

* ttp://shimagata.tripod.com/srclass.htm Classification of Chinese scholar's rocks
Scholar's rock at Metropolitan Museum of Art
Outdoor sculptures in China Chinese art Chinese gardening styles Rock art in China Garden ornaments