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Lot Essay
From as early as the Neolithic period, prized stones and jade were placed in tombs, reflecting the symbolic significance and value long associated with them. Yet it was not until the late Tang dynasty (618–907) that the collecting of scholar’s rocks truly began to flourish. During the Song dynasty (960–1279), their influence permeated Chinese literature: Mi Fu (1051–1107) and other scholars composed essays celebrating the aesthetic and intellectual qualities of stones, while Du Wan (12th century) compiled the first comprehensive catalogue of notable stones, the Yunlin shipu, attesting to the growing refinement of connoisseurship. This fascination endured over the centuries and continues to this day, and the presence of such examples in this collection testifies to the lasting appeal of these remarkable rocks.
The present example is a large and striking example of a Lingbi scholar’s rock. Lingbi stones are among the earliest and most highly prized scholarly specimens. Sourced from Lingbi in Anhui, they were admired for the clear, resonant tone they produced when struck. Formed underground through pressure, mineral‑rich water, and complex chemical processes, Lingbi stones typically display bold silhouettes, fine textures, and naturally polished surfaces. After excavation from deep trenches, they were cleaned, sometimes lightly tooled, and mounted on wooden stands; many preserve reddish encrustations from the soil in which they lay. The back of the present stone bears areas of red pigment that appear to have been present for a considerable time, although it remains unclear whether this was a decorative addition intended to imitate such natural encrustations.
Impressive for both its monumental size and commanding presence, the rock follows the “landscape” style: without directly imitating nature, it evokes the spirit of a natural scene, suggesting a mountain range or a solitary peak. Such rocks were prized in scholars’ studios, where their evocative forms enabled scholars to transport themselves imaginatively into remote mountain settings, offering a mental retreat into the vastness of nature from within the confines of the study.
Whilst from the front and rear it presents the silhouette of a traditional mountain, this unusually deep stone reveals, in profile, a complex interior landscape composed of rising peaks, gentle valleys, deep ravines, crevasses, and dramatic apertures. From every angle it offers a new perspective, unfolding an infinite world of imagined landscapes. Mountains and scholar’s rocks were traditionally believed to be imbued with historical qi, or life force. Though static, the qi of this rock is palpable in its powerful, ascending form.
Another remarkable element of this example is its inscription: the stone bears a facsimile seal reading Yuchen (羽宸, “Feather Palace”), the zi (courtesy name) of Cheng Zijun 程子鵕 (1687–1760), also known as Cheng Caishan 程采山, above a two‑character inscription reading diecui (疊翠, “Layered Green Jade”).
This exceptional scholar’s rock rests on a simple wooden stand of modern manufacture. It was acquired by a collector in Shanghai in the early 1990s, having previously been displayed from the 1960s through the 1980s in the lobby of the old Huangshan Hotel in the Tunxi district. At the time of its purchase, the stone stood on an older softwood base, not original, and its considerable size and weight suggest that it has likely been mounted on several different stands over the course of its long history as a scholar’s rock.
The present example is a large and striking example of a Lingbi scholar’s rock. Lingbi stones are among the earliest and most highly prized scholarly specimens. Sourced from Lingbi in Anhui, they were admired for the clear, resonant tone they produced when struck. Formed underground through pressure, mineral‑rich water, and complex chemical processes, Lingbi stones typically display bold silhouettes, fine textures, and naturally polished surfaces. After excavation from deep trenches, they were cleaned, sometimes lightly tooled, and mounted on wooden stands; many preserve reddish encrustations from the soil in which they lay. The back of the present stone bears areas of red pigment that appear to have been present for a considerable time, although it remains unclear whether this was a decorative addition intended to imitate such natural encrustations.
Impressive for both its monumental size and commanding presence, the rock follows the “landscape” style: without directly imitating nature, it evokes the spirit of a natural scene, suggesting a mountain range or a solitary peak. Such rocks were prized in scholars’ studios, where their evocative forms enabled scholars to transport themselves imaginatively into remote mountain settings, offering a mental retreat into the vastness of nature from within the confines of the study.
Whilst from the front and rear it presents the silhouette of a traditional mountain, this unusually deep stone reveals, in profile, a complex interior landscape composed of rising peaks, gentle valleys, deep ravines, crevasses, and dramatic apertures. From every angle it offers a new perspective, unfolding an infinite world of imagined landscapes. Mountains and scholar’s rocks were traditionally believed to be imbued with historical qi, or life force. Though static, the qi of this rock is palpable in its powerful, ascending form.
Another remarkable element of this example is its inscription: the stone bears a facsimile seal reading Yuchen (羽宸, “Feather Palace”), the zi (courtesy name) of Cheng Zijun 程子鵕 (1687–1760), also known as Cheng Caishan 程采山, above a two‑character inscription reading diecui (疊翠, “Layered Green Jade”).
This exceptional scholar’s rock rests on a simple wooden stand of modern manufacture. It was acquired by a collector in Shanghai in the early 1990s, having previously been displayed from the 1960s through the 1980s in the lobby of the old Huangshan Hotel in the Tunxi district. At the time of its purchase, the stone stood on an older softwood base, not original, and its considerable size and weight suggest that it has likely been mounted on several different stands over the course of its long history as a scholar’s rock.