Spirit Stones

Brilliant photographs of scholars' rocks, or Chinese ornamental stones, from a leading collection Shaped by nature and selected by man, scholars' rocks, or gongshi, have been prized by Chinese intellectuals since the Tang dynasty, and are now sought after by Western collectors as well. They are a natural subject for the photographer Jonathan Singer, most recently acclaimed for his images of those other remarkable hybrids of art and nature, Japanese bonsai. Here Singer turns his lens on some 150 fine gongshi, ancient and modern, from the world-class collection of Kemin Hu, a recognized authority on this art form. In his photographs, Singer captures the spiritual qualities of these stones as never thought possible in two dimensions; he shows us that scholars' rocks truly are, in Hu's words, "condensations of the vital essence and energy of heaven and earth." Hu contributes an introductory essay on the history and aesthetics of scholars' rocks, explaining the traditional terms of stone appreciation, such as shou (thin), zhou (wrinkled), lou (channels), and tou (holes). She also provides a narrative caption for each stone, describing its history and characteristics.

A collection of photographs of strangely shaped stones thought to be infused with spiritual power, accompanied by a discussion of their influence on Chinese religion, art, and culture.

This was the continent of meridians. Legend has it that after cultivating, one could become a god. Misunderstanding, chasing, and becoming traitors, how could he rely on a secret scripture of the evil sects to rise to prominence in the Cultivation World? Close]

A genius of his generation had fallen. He was mocked and crushed in such a large family. In order to raise his proud head, he had spent his entire life. He only killed his way to becoming a god. With the Echelon Pagoda and the unstoppable human god around him, he was truly a god of pride!

He, summer, was an orphan. Growing up in an orphanage, on the late autumn night when he was ten years old, there was a fire in the orphanage. In order to save his brothers and sisters, he was caught in fire. Five years later in real life, he heavily ... 

Emperor Hegemony, Emperor Might, Saint Sage, Supreme Realm cultivators too! A youth who was determined to become a peerless powerhouse had his dantian destroyed due to an accident. Was that a disappointment, or a desire to become stronger? The youth, Ling Xiao, had unintentionally obtained a cauldron, a sword, and watched as Ling Xiao completed the legends that no one had broken since ancient times. He had done everything he could to surpass the heavens and reach the supreme peak! Holy Emperor's fans 423840230! Close]

With a single thought from an expert, the color of the sky and earth changed. Above the ninth heaven, dragons and phoenixes soared. Shattering the Heavens with his palm. The fist shook the galaxy. When the sword struck out, the world collapsed. Fiendgods and Fiendgods were unstoppable, and so the Ten Thousand Blessings were forced to give way. At the peak of martial arts, only by reaching the peak could one look down upon all living things! Close]

I was originally an Immortal, but because my six Daos were incomplete and my seven spirits were incomplete, I could ascend to become an Immortal, but not an Immortal. The world is vast, and my cultivation base can fight against the heavens and the earth, and protect my people. [Previous Chapter] [Table of Contents] [Next Chapter] Tenth reincarnation, nine dead and one alive. To avenge his family, Ah'Bao stepped onto the path of cultivation. Close]