|On the Appreciation of Fantastic Rocks |The collecting and connoisseurship of extraordinary shaped rocks has a long and compelling history in Chinese aesthetic culture. Throughout the centuries both emperors and the scholar-elite have considered the rocks' unusual forms worthy of contemplation in both an exterior garden setting as well as inside the home. Enjoyed for their dynamic shapes that could be judged with similar criteria used for calligraphy—traditionally the highest art form in China-- or appreciated for their resemblance to lofty mountains or coiled dragons, fantastic rocks (guaishi) were prized for their abstract qualities as well as their inspiration for imagination. |Starting in the Han Dynasty (206 bce -220ce) monoliths were moved and carefully arranged to become the focus of the landscape. By the Song dynasty (906-1279) smaller pieces were placed on table tops and within the walls of the scholars' studio. In the first half of the 12th century Du Wan wrote Yunlin Shipu (Stone Catalogue of the Cloud Forest) , the first to be dedicated solely to the 114 different types of rocks suitable for viewing. In the following millennium a comprehensive body of Chinese literature arose devoted to the study and connoisseurship of these interestingly shaped stones, with poetic language describing the criteria for evaluating their shapes, textures and different materials. |In as much as fantastic rocks were embraced as natural works of art, they also became the inspiration for artists to convey their captivating forms and deeper meanings. The Song emperor Huizong (reigned 1100-1125/26) depicted "Auspicious dragon rock" in 1117 as a positive omen for his rule. The image of the Song poet Mi Fu (1051-1107) bowing in obeisance to a masterful stone became a favorite subject of painters throughout the centuries, and the Ming artist Wu Bin (c. 1583-c. 1626) painted ten views of a single fantastic stone owned by his friend Mi Wanzhong (1570-after 1628). |In modern times the collecting, connoisseurship, and inspiration of fantastic Chinese stones continues to evolve. With 20th century classical masters such as Zhang Daqian (1899-1983) and CC Wang (1907-2003) not only collecting but depicting rocks, and Liu Dan (born 1953) and Zeng Xiaojun (born 1954) carrying the tradition into the 21st century. Nor has this lithophilia stayed limited to Chinese culture, as Henry Moore (1898-1986) was a known collector and Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) created his own series of 'fantastic rocks' in his own familiar style. | ||怪石之赏|在中国审美文化里，收藏和鉴赏奇峰异石的历史由来已久。在过去的几百年，无论是皇帝还是文人精英，都喜欢将形状不寻常的石头置于室外庭院或室内案几，观之赏之。而在观看把玩之时，人们常常会用类似评价书法的方法，来赏析石头各式丰富的形状和姿态——它们或似高山，或似蟠龙。由于其本身所具有的抽象性，以及由此激发人们的想象力，怪石因此而受到赞誉。|自汉代起（公元前206-220），古代中国人会通过精心移动和布置巨石，使之成为风景的焦点。到宋代时（906-1279），体积较小的怪石常被置于文人书斋的案头或墙内。宋人杜绾于12世纪上半叶撰写了《云林石谱》一书。书中专门介绍了114种适合观赏的石头。而在随后的一千年时间里，关于研究和鉴赏各类奇石的著作大量涌现。这些著作大多使用富有诗意的语言来评议石头的形状、质感和材料。|当怪石成为一种自然艺术之时，它也变成了艺术家们创作的灵感来源。怪石不仅激发艺术家表现其独特的形态，也促其发掘更深层次的含义。在宋徽宗统治时期（1110-1125/26），徽宗于1117年绘制了"祥龙石图卷"，以期此画为他统治的幸运征兆。 又如，宋代诗人米芾 （1051-1107）向一块圣石鞠躬的画面亦成为之后几百年历代画家所喜欢的创作主题。而明代画家吴彬 （大约1583-1626）曾创作过十幅描写同一怪石的作品，之后这些作品都为其朋友米万钟（1570-1628之后）所藏。 |进入近代，收藏、鉴赏怪石，和怪石作为艺术家创作源泉的传统继续随之演变。 20世纪，传统艺术大师张大千、王己千不仅收藏怪石， 也常以怪石作为他们的创作题材。而在21世纪，艺术家刘丹（1953- ）、 曾小俊（1954- ） 等也继续延续此创作传统。另外， 赏石的传统在近代已不仅仅局限于中国文化，西方的亨利·摩尔（1898-1986）就是一位知名的奇石收藏家，罗伊·利希滕斯坦（1923-1997） 也曾用他熟悉的风格创作过一系列的"怪石"作品。 |