19th Century Chinese Scholar Stone Wuling Rock on Stand

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A Chinese scholar stone originated from Wuling Mountains, Hunan Province in central China. A type of geological wonder, formed through … Read more A Chinese scholar stone originated from Wuling Mountains, Hunan Province in central China. A type of geological wonder, formed through wind erosion and polishing by the elements of the flowing river, Wuling stone has been sought after since ancient time as collectible Gongshi (Spirit Stone) by scholars and royalties alike. Famed for its rigid texture, subtle variations in colors and veins, smooth surface that sometimes with deposits, and mostly fancy shapes with stacked formation and interlinked grottos, Wuling stones stirs the imagination in the viewer an exotic fairyland. The location where these stones are collected, Wuling mountain range, is cloaked in Chinese mythology. The mountains encompass exotic geological landscapes with highly unique features, such as Fanjing Mountain in Guizhou and Zhangjiajie in Hunan province. "Peach Blossom Spring", a clandestinely isolated and hidden utopian society behind a river cavern within steep mountains, made famous by the famous essay by hermit poet Tao Yuanming (365-427AD) of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, is also located there and has fascinated people for more than a thousand five hundred years.
The stone on offer is a vertical Wuling stone type. Stacked with distinguishable layers of geological composition, the stone has a main tall pillar with a shorter branch. The exotic form resembled the floating limestone mountains in Avatar, or a magical longevity fungus growing in the high cliff among the clouds. The surface is mostly smooth in various shades of greyish color but with natural marks, random darker blemish and sandy deposits. The stone is a wonderful demonstration of the creation by both the geological and erosion force. The stone is presented on a custom carved wood base. See less