The Creative Appreciation of viewing stone

By/ Ding Wenfu

A general view of the collection of viewing stone in the Imperial Palace Museum, on the whole, we can say that it not bound by the aesthetic criterion of stone appreciation in Song Dynasty. In the stone appreciation in the Imperial Palace, there are a large number of examples that do not conform to this aesthetic concept stone appreciation. Obviously, the list the services of the Imperial Palace has alternative orientation. We hypothesized that this kind of orientation is "novelty", what is so called "offer the treasure and receive the rare ".

Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, the viewing stone is mainly understood and appreciated from the perspective of rock as the culture or rock as the art. From the novelty coral stone and textured stone at the beginning of Ming Dynasty to late Ming Dynasty and Qianlong Period, these unusual stones that represent geological phenomena is not so much appreciated from the perspective of traditional art, but better expressed to be appreciate from the perspective of rock as science like modern science. These novel ornamental stones do not represent the traditional "Four Ways of Appreciating Phase Stones",but the beauty of nature which is full of fun of discovery as well as the a beauty of knowledge.This is a kind of aesthetic sentiment which breaks through tradition, faces the future, gets rid of aesthetics and moves towards science,and is quite forward-looking and creative. It undoubtedly needs keen talent, broad mind and great courage to find and integrate this kind of "creative appreciation" in the atmosphere of traditional stone appreciation aesthetics.

Treasure•Search for the Boutique Stone Again

In January 2013, after Treasure magazine published the notices " The announcement of stone searching and prize for explosive materials", it instantly elicit a warm response. The editorial department subsequently received massive disclosure from the "Top Star Explorer", later, these exquisite works became the key target of the hunting.

In January 2015, the column which name is "Find the best again" has a brand-new revision in the column of“the world of friends in stone circle”,and got its new name “appreciating the viewing stone by experts”which hire a boutique master and senior players to comment on the boutique stones found. In two years, “appreciating the viewing stone by experts” has always been the main play. It enriched the content of the magazine and build a platform for communication and Exhibition for all the people.

The master is in the folk. In 2019, the editorial department of Treasure magazine will continue to search for the fine stones from the stone world.