This Northern Song dynasty Lingbi scholar’s rock bears an inscription by Mi Fu. Dark like black lacquer and veiled with an unctuous lustre, the sonorous rock, when struck, produces a clear, resonant sound akin to an ancient chime stone. The deeply layered structure of the rock draws the eye through the openings, peaks, and ridges, calling to mind a thousand-year-old lingzhi bloom and offering a different aesthetic experience every time. Endowed with an illustrious provenance, the rock bears inscriptions by luminaries from the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, and ranks among the most important scholar’s rocks of unparalleled quality.
Stillness in Clouds: a Manifestation of Chan Aesthetics and Daoist Philosophy
29 October 2024 | Hong Kong
