Chinese Scholar Rock Wuling Stone on Stand

Description

A unusual Chinese scholar stone originated from Wuling Mountains, Huan Province in central China. A type of geological wonder, formed … more A unusual Chinese scholar stone originated from Wuling Mountains, Huan Province in central China. A type of geological wonder, formed through wind erosion and polishing by the elements of the flowing river, Wuling stone has been sought after since ancient time as collectible Gongshi (Spirit Stone) by scholars and royalties alike. Famed for its rigid texture, subtle variations in colors and veins, smooth surface that sometimes with deposits, and mostly fancy shapes with stacked formation and interlinked grottos, Wuling stones stirs the imagination in the viewer a reminiscent image of the sacred Buddhism caves, only created by nature's mysterious force. The location where these stones are collected, Wuling mountain range, is cloaked in Chinese mythology. The mountains encompass exotic geological landscapes with highly unique features, such as FanJing Mountain in GuiZhou and Zhangjiajie in Hunan province. "Peach Blossom Spring", a clandestinely isolated and hidden utopian society behind a river cavern within steep mountains, made famous by the famous essay by hermit poet Tao Yuanming (365-427AD) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, is also located there and has fascinated people for more than a thousand five hundred years.
The stone on offer is a classic landscape type of Wuling stone type. Its horizontal formation exhibits five distinguishable layers with different geological composition. This allows the formation of the grottos in an alternate and linear pattern that seems deceivingly orderly. Besides being rare in form, the stone also shows wonderful surface character as well. Mostly smooth, natural marks and random sandy deposits are evident, demonstrating the workforce from nature. The stone is presented on a custom wood base and it can be viewed and appreciated from both front and back.
From a collection in NYC, the piece as purportedly purchased from Keming Hu, the collector and author on Chinese scholar stone. less