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WELCOME TO OUR CLASSROOM
This section of our website provides an opportunity to learn more about stone appreciation through the use of our new three- to five-minute educational videos and reprints of previously published articles. The Classroom also contains useful information for stone enthusiasts starting with a Guide to Stone Markets and Shops in China and Japan. Each month, additional videos, articles and other information will be available to help people along on their path to becoming stone connoisseurs.
Educational Videos from VSANA Media are now on Youtube.
View and learn from our 35 videos on different aspects of viewing stone appreciation. We have two types of videos. For a more in-depth experience, watch one of the longer seminars ranging from 35 to 60 minutes. Our shorter videos, ranging from 28 seconds to 10 minutes, provide an opportunity to learn about specific topics.
These can be found at:
Sample Short Videos presentations:
Mt. Fuji Stones or Fujisan ishi (5 minutes)
Hut Stone or Kuzuya-ishi (6:29 minutes)
Introduction to Suiseki (6 minutes)
Japanese Stone Exhibition (4 minutes)
The Stone, The Artist, and a Base (7 minutes)
Poetic Lithic Expressions 1 & 2 (9 & 5 minutes)
Chinese Stone Painting (4 minutes)
Dali Marble (4 minutes)
Chinese Lingbi Stone (5 minutes)
Japanese Chrysanthemum Stones (4 minutes)
Sample seminar topics:
The Love of Stones (42 minutes)
Enhanced Stones: the Reality and the Perception (56 minutes)
Design Principles in Contemporary Viewing Stone Appreciation
(51 minutes)
The Science of Patina (51 minutes)
The Role of Carved Wood Bases in Viewing Stone Appreciation
(54 minutes)
The Tray and the Stone (55 minutes)
Features of Outstanding Viewing Stones (56 minutes)
Articles by Thomas S. Elias, Hiromi Nakaoji, and other authors published in BCI Bonsai & Stone Appreciation Magazine
Guides and Other Useful Information
PDF Format for viewing or downloading
Shoppers Guide to Japanese Stone Shops
- Simple guidelines when shopping in a Japanese Stone Shop.
- Frequently Asked Questions for Use in Japanese Stone Shops
- Shipping Stones
Shoppers Guide to Chinese Stone Markets
- Simple guidelines when shopping in a Chinese market.
- Frequently Asked Questions for Use in Chinese Stone Markets
- Shipping Stones
- Table of Stone Names in English, Chinese and Pinyin
Viewing Stone Appreciation Glossary
Prepared by Thomas S. Elias & Hiromi Nakaoji
The purpose of this glossary is to help viewing stone enthusiasts to gain a more in-depth knowledge of the terms used in stone appreciation practices. Japanese terms are used more frequently than their Chinese counterparts. Since this is an ongoing project, we anticipate adding additional terms. We encourage you to contact us with suggestions for future words to add or clarify if our definitions are not clear. Please send you questions and recommendation to Tom Elias.
