Stone of the Month: 

July 2024 

“Friend of Bamboo”

By Joseph S. Roussel, Photo credit: Laura Mah 

Wen stones come from the Boshan Mountain in Zibo City, Shandong province, Northeastern China. Shandong province historically produced the greatest number of imperial scholars and had many collectors of scholars rocks. Excavated from acidic soil, Wen stones are mostly limestone. Their highly textured shapes and complex surfaces with lines and wrinkles are due to the erosion of underground water. This stone was found by Kemin Hu at an antique shop in Beijing and then sold to the Juxui Zhai collection (Gathering Elegance studio) in 2008.

Like many Wen stones, this stone (that we named “Friend of Bamboo”) projects an overall sense of “pu” (樸), a state of natural simplicity. At the same time, there is complexity with many holes and passages creating depth and movement. The color is light brown and grey turning toward a bluish tint in the late afternoon light. The rugged surface is covered with dimples, lines, and wrinkles. People have admired this stone for centuries and will continue to do so for many more.

This Wen stone is 72 cm high, 48 cm wide, 25 cm deep, and weighs 70 kilos. It retains a natural shape on the bottom, unlike many Wen stones that are cut flat. The 18c stand (15cm high) is a typical northern-style stand covered in red lacquer.