{"id":35,"date":"2016-10-22T16:04:48","date_gmt":"2016-10-22T21:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/?page_id=35"},"modified":"2016-12-15T15:42:22","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T21:42:22","slug":"scholar-rocks","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/scholar-rocks\/","title":{"rendered":"Scholar Rocks"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_section et_pb_section_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_section_regular et_block_section\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_row et_pb_row_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column et_pb_column_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_column\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_0  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>Scholar's Rocks<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Scholar\u2019s rocks first emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-906) and were common in the studios of rulers and intellectuals throughout Chinese history. With the increasing influence of Daoism, the aristocrats and educated elites of the era began to have a greater appreciation of the natural world and landscape art in all forms. Large gardens emerged throughout China that served as both a representation of wealth and source of inspiration. Within these gardens, literati often built their studios in which they kept personal objects for artistic, meditative or decorative purposes. One such object, the scholar\u2019s rock, was viewed as a microcosm of the universe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These objects were appreciated for their ability to capture nature\u2019s essence, especially <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">qi<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> \u6c23, the universal energy of things. The value of rocks was based on four essential qualities: thinness, openness, perforations and wrinkling. These characteristics were rooted in the rock\u2019s resemblance to nature. While most of these rocks were made out of limestone, some were petrified wood, which was considered as a rarer stone. These rocks were found in caves around Yingde and Lingbi, but the most prized specimens hailed from Lake Tai. The twisting, unnatural stones are the result of natural water erosion or calcification. Although purported to be natural, many of the rocks were enhanced through minor polishing and sanding. The beauty and uniqueness of these stones is unparalleled, which has seen them persist for the past sixteen hundred years and remain popular to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you would like to listen rather than read, please click below.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_1_2 et_pb_column et_pb_column_1  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et-last-child et_block_column\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_1  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><em>Click and drag to view the image in 3D<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\n<!-- iframe plugin v.6.0 wordpress.org\/plugins\/iframe\/ -->\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"480\" src=\"\/\/elevator.stolaf.edu\/art\/asset\/getEmbed\/5813b138e758aef06d8f3527\/null\/true\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\"><\/iframe>\n <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_row et_pb_row_1  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column et_pb_column_2  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et-last-child et_block_column\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_audio_0 et_pb_audio_module clearfix et_pb_bg_layout_dark et_pb_audio_no_image  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_audio_module_content et_audio_container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"et_pb_module_header\">Audio<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-0-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/908\/2016\/10\/stones-audio-claire.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/908\/2016\/10\/stones-audio-claire.mp3\">https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/908\/2016\/10\/stones-audio-claire.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_row et_pb_row_2  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column et_pb_column_3  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et-last-child et_block_column\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_slider et_pb_slider_0 et_hover_enabled et_pb_slider_fullwidth_off\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slides\">\n\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_slide et_pb_slide_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_pb_bg_layout_dark et_pb_slide_with_image et_pb_media_alignment_center et-pb-active-slide\" data-slide-id=\"et_pb_slide_0\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_container clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slider_container_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/908\/2016\/10\/130.2015_Unknown-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_content\"><p>We do not have any way of identifying the date when this object began being used as a scholar\u2019s rock. The visual flow of this rock is up and down and the crevices that are common for such rocks have this same vertical quality. It is a Lingbi stone from Lingbi, Anhui province, which is notable for the black and grey rocks with many crevices and external features. It would have been used as decoration and also as an object of meditation and reflection, as the owner could gaze upon its many features and enjoy the solid black and grey features of this rock. The rock itself is quite heavy for its size and was almost certainly not moved very often once it was laid in one position or another.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_slide et_pb_slide_1  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_pb_bg_layout_dark et_pb_slide_with_image et_pb_media_alignment_center\" data-slide-id=\"et_pb_slide_1\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_container clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slider_container_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/908\/2016\/10\/133.2015_Unknown-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_content\"><p>This scholars\u2019 rock, titled \u201cWood Shadow,\u201d is made of petrified wood, which is considered to be a rock, and is a dark brown color. It also seems to have been coated with a layer of gloss to increase its shine and overall beauty. The rock has several holes in it and areas that are naturally smoother than others. While stones were appreciated for their resemblance to larger mountain ranges or larger rocks, petrified wood was seen as paying homage to the beauty of either trees or mountains.<\/p>\n<p>With the rise of Daoism, Chinese people found a new interest in the environment, and scholar\u2019s rocks were seen as a way of studying a microcosm of the universe. What sets a rock apart are its depiction of nature, physical characteristics of wuwei (action or movement in accordance with the un-interfered natural flow of life), and innate beauty.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_slide et_pb_slide_2  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_pb_bg_layout_dark et_pb_slide_with_image et_pb_media_alignment_center\" data-slide-id=\"et_pb_slide_2\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_container clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slider_container_inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/908\/2016\/10\/49.2015_Unknown_Inside-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_slide_description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"et_pb_slide_title\">Mother and Son<\/h2><div class=\"et_pb_slide_content\"><p>Mother and Son is a characteristic scholar\u2019s stone, with two dark gray limestone rocks lying perched on a polished wood base carved in the likeness of clouds; two cliff-like precipices rise up to the base of each stone. Rocks were valued because they were believed to be the bones of the world, and thus the foundation of qi (energy, or universal life force). Originating in gardens during the Tang Dynasty, scholars\u2019 rocks soon became objects of contemplation among the Chinese elite, who looked to them as vehicles of enjoyment and self-cultivation, meant to evoke natural forces and inspire poetry. Stones were evaluated on shou, (leanness\u2019), a tight relationship between internal qi patterns and the exterior, zhou, (\u2018surface texture\u2019) which requires the surface details to respond to larger structure, tou, the porosity of the stone, and lou, the types of horizontal or vertical small holes and perforations.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1089,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-35","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1089"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":507,"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35\/revisions\/507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/chinese-scholars-studio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}