Page 13 - Christie's Dec 2, 2015 Scholars Rocks, Hong Kong
P. 13
and even occasionally in later times—Lingbi rocks, from Taihu, or “Grand Lake”, at the southern tip of
or Lingbishi 靈璧石 , have been the most favored for Jiangsu province, just west of Suzhou. Composed of
the scholar’s studio from the Northern Song period limestone, Taihu rocks are generally off-white or light
(960–1127) to the present (Lots 3003, 3005, 3010, grey (Lot 3021). Raised patterns and small cavities
3017). A variety of densely structured limestone, or texture their surfaces. The supply of limestone rocks
calcite, the rocks were retrieved from subterranean with naturally dissolved holes and sand-washed
quarries at Lingbi, in northern Anhui province. surfaces had been considerably diminished by the
Because of their density, Lingbi stones are naturally late Tang period; in response, by the Northern Song,
resonant. The best Lingbi stones are deep black local families had begun to sculpt rocks from the
in color; often only lightly textured, their surfaces abundant native limestone, after which they placed
appear moist and glossy (Lots 3010, 3017). Light to their creations in the lake for several decades of
medium grey in color, so-called “grey Lingbi stones” natural finishing. Considered ideal for the garden,
(Lots 3003, 3005) characteristically are the most Taihu rocks only occasionally found their way into the
resonant of all and were appreciated as early as the study.
Song dynasty; they typically have deep furrows and
dramatic overhangs that suggest ancient and very Also of limestone, Qilian rocks 祁連石 come from
rugged terrain. A conglomerate of stones, calico, Mount Qilian 祁連山 , which rises about 70 km to
or multicolored, Lingbi rocks 多色靈壁石 (Lot 3010) the southeast of Jiayuguan 嘉峪關 in northwestern
come from the same general site as other Lingbi Gansu province. Qilian stones first gained entrée into
rocks; variegated in color, they boast inclusions of scholars’ studios in the 17th century as substitutes
other stones, in addition to grey, and sometimes even for then-scarce black Lingbi rocks. Collectors came
of black, Lingbi stone. to favor not the rare black examples but those
Qilian stones that exhibit the more characteristic
Named for Yingde 英德 , in north central Guangdong brownish grey color (Lot 3019). The surfaces of
province, about 120 km north of Guangzhou standard, brownish grey Qilian stones often display
(Canton), where the earliest examples of this family patterns of concentric wrinkles; in addition, they
originated, Ying rocks come from a variety of sources characteristically claim small, integrally formed
in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. The most beads or nodules of stone that on casual inspection
numerous among scholar’s rocks encountered might appear to be accretions bonded to the rock.
today, Ying stones are of fine-grained limestone,
and typically are dark grey in color (Lots 3001, Although Lingbi and Ying stones were the most
3002, 3004, 3009, 3011, 3020, 3022). Like their important scholar’s rocks in all periods, the repertory
counterparts from Lingbi, most Ying rocks include of collected stones expanded significantly in the
deposits of light-colored calcite, in the form of both Ming and Qing. Yellow wax rocks, or huanglashi 黃蠟
continuous veins and discrete pockets. Ying rocks 石 , gained admission to the canon in the mid-Qing
are traditionally prized for their intricately textured period, hard on the heels of yellow jades and golden
surfaces, which are often characterized as “dimpled” Shoushan 壽山 and Tianhuang 田黃 soapstones 滑石 .
or “bubbled”. At Yingde, rocks were harvested from Obtained from riverbeds in Guangdong and Guangxi
caves; tradition asserts that the best pieces came provinces, yellow wax rocks (Lot 3018) are composed
from caves filled with water, which imparted dark, of golden silica, usually in the form of quartz; they are
glossy surfaces. hard, dense, and homogeneous. Appreciated for their
rich caramel color, such rocks often have intricately
Because they were the most favored of garden textured surfaces. In his mid-19th-century Tanshi,
rocks from the Tang dynasty onward, Taihu rocks Liang Jiutu stated that wax rocks are “... most valued
太湖石 are the best-known Chinese rocks. They for their color, which should be deep and pure yellow,
were retrieved, not from caves or quarries, but otherwise there is no point.”16
CHINESE SCHOLAR’S ROCKS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION 11