Information on Shoushan Stone

When the First Emperor of China ordered his master carver to make his Imperial Seal, he naturally chose jade as the most suitable material for an emperor. But there is another kind of stone which has been just as popular: this is the famous Shoushan stone, of which masterful carvings have been made since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

There are many legends about how this indescribably beautiful material came into being. One is that it was used by the goddess Nuwa, who made them to patch holes in the sky left behind by the irascible Water Spirit Gong Gong. Another legend relates how the albumen from a phoenix egg permeated the soil near the village of Shoushan and transformed it into this wonderfully colored rock. (Yellow, the color of a loquat, is considered the most valuable.)

Shoushan stone carvings have had a long history. Discovered in tombs in southern China, they appear to have been used as sacrificial and religious objects during the Tang (618-907) and Song Dynasties (960-1270). But it is during the Ming era that Shoushan stone carvings became truly famous.

As with jade, the carving and cutting of stone is carried out with incredible accuracy and artistic finish. Natural markings and color variations in the material are invariably adapted for the cutting of leaves and floral sprays, but no effort is spared to bring out the true character of the object. A certain stone, for instance, might suggest an ill-tempered dragon on account of its mountain- like shape, while another inspires a gaggle of poultry. But by far, the most popular subjects for these carvings were the miniature landscapes, which would often depict towering mountain peaks with caves, grottoes, and pools of water. In fact, the collector, just by looking at some of these pieces, might well imagine himself shrinking, as sometimes happens to immortals, to dimensions in accord with the little paths and tracks that wind about these scenes, and here, on a miniature stage, meet with a sage reading a scroll in a secluded grotto, or a noble lady sitting in a pavilion.

Good Shoushan stone carvings are not easy to find in the United States. But now, with the help of Dragon’s Tomb, you may become the proud owner of your own personal masterpiece.