Slideshow: Chinese Scholar's Rocks Uncover the Spirituality in Stone
This week in New York, AsiaStore offers an opportunity to learn about the uniquely Chinese cultural phenomenon of scholar's rocks, or "spirit stones" — ornate natural rock formations that have been prized for their aesthetic properties by Chinese connoisseurs for over a thousand years.
A column in the Arts section of the New York Times last week explained that scholar's rocks are regarded "as microcosms of vast geological forces that can inspire meditative thoughts" — and that collectors will now pay in the neighborhood of a million dollars for individual stones.
Scholar's rock collector and authority Kemin Hu appears in-person at AsiaStore this Friday, March 14, and Saturday, March 15 from 12:00 to 3:30 pm, signing copies of her new book Spirit Stones: The Ancient Art of the Scholar's Rock (Abbeville Press), co-written with Thomas S. Elias and featuring photographs by Jonathan M. Singer. Hu will also give a free lecture on scholar's rocks at Asia Society on Friday the 14th at 6:00 pm.
Related Links:
Shop AsiaStore for scholar's rocks and Spirit Stones
New York Times: "Gazing on Scholar's Rocks" (March 7, 2014)