Cultivated Stones: Chinese Scholars' Rocks from the Kemin Hu Collection - Hardcover

Book Synopsis

The original readymade: a pioneering volume on the ancient tradition of the scholar's rock

Lose yourself in the endlessly rich variety of Chinese scholars' rocks, or gongshi, in this catalog featuring a major gift of Chinese stones to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum. This gift from recognized authority on scholars' rocks Kemin Hu includes 50 types of stones, ranging from the traditional to the modern. Lingbi, taihu, ying and other stones have been collected from all over China and are presented here in nine thematic groupings. One hundred and seven stunning photographs allow readers to plumb the depths of this ancient yet dynamic art form.
Phillip E. Bloom, curator of the Chinese Garden and director of the Center for East Asian Garden Studies at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, guides readers through gongshi's 2,000-year history and introduces them to some of China's most passionate "lithomaniacs." Featuring numerous illustrations and historical aficionados' own musings in both translation and the original Chinese, Bloom's essay cracks open gongshi's history for a Western audience. A collector's preface by Hu, as well as reflections on stone collecting by American enthusiasts, complete the catalog.
Stone appreciation is on the rise in the United States, although the English-language literature remains slim. Cultivated Stones is a valuable contribution to this growing field, not just an introduction for the interested novice but a scholarly advancement in its own right.

Review Quotes

Cultivated Stones is a beautifully designed volume with a sharp layout and stunning and evocative photographs of the one-hundred-plus stones Illustrated. It is a quality publication from all aspects of production--paper quality, binding, and binding. Rating: Excellent; a must-have volume for all students of Chinese stone appreciation.-- "VSANA (Viewing Stone Association of North America)"

The best way to enjoy this book is in a serial manner. Choose a stone that appeals to your curiosity and mood at any moment and take at least five minutes to took at the image of the stone and allow your mind to wander. You will be rewarded by a deeper reverence for nature and connection with things in the ground we tread upon every day.--Scott Aker "CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)"