Scholar's stones can speak, but do you know how to listen to them?

Conference by Joseph Roussel, member of the SAMC, researcher specializing in scholarly rocks.

Joseph Roussel has nurtured his passion for stones for over twenty years, under the mentorship of Madame HU Kemin, a leading international expert. Thanks to a donation from Mr. Roussel and his wife, Jana Roussel, the Cernuschi Museum was able to acquire its first scholars'stone. It has been on display in the permanent collection, near the auditorium, since June 2026.

Since the late 1990s, scholar's stones have experienced a resurgence of interest, initially driven by exhibitions in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. This increased visibility has revived interest in these stones in both the West and China. They are now frequently found at the entrances of hotels and large office buildings in China, as well as in prestigious museums in the West. Furthermore, the market for these stones, while niche, remains particularly dynamic in China, with numerous specialized markets offering modern types, while antique types are primarily sold through specialized channels.

A tradition with very diverse origins

Rock art in China is very ancient: texts devoted to it appear as early as the Song Dynasty (960–1279). It is a cross-cutting field, at the crossroads of many Chinese traditions, including:

Cosmologywith the legend of Nüwa, the creator goddess, who repaired the pillars of heaven destroyed by other deities using stones. A rock melted by Nüwa that transforms into a human being also appears in the novel The Dream of the Red Chamber.
Alchemywhich attributes various properties to stones, including energizing properties. Suyuan Shipu (素園石譜) of 1613, catalogue of famous stones, evokes some of these correspondences.
Taoismwho consider rocks to be the "bones of the earth". For Taoists, rocks embody the purest essence that contributed to the formation of the Earth and the Universe.
ConfucianismFinally, he sees in the stone a symbol of moral solidity which, associated with the flexibility of bamboo, expresses the integrity of the individual.

A wide variety of shapes and materials

Across these different traditions, stone is primarily valued for its shape and surfaces. An examination of old catalogues, such as the Suyuan ShipuThis shows that nearly half of the rocks evoke mountains—a noble image par excellence, associated with high virtue. The other half consists of more abstract forms, or those reminiscent of animals and various living beings.

Lin Youlin. Suyuan Shipu. Detail of a page. Woodblock print on paper. 1613.

Bo Shan Wen stone. ©Joseph Roussel.

Lingbi stone. ©Joseph Roussel.

Found in great diversity throughout China, certain types of gemstones are particularly prized. Among them are Lingbi (灵壁石) from Anhui province, nicknamed "first stones under heaven," used as musical instruments as early as the 6th century; Ying (英石) stones from Guangdong province; and Bo Shan Wen (博山文石) stones from Shandong, whose popularity undoubtedly benefited from its connection to Confucius's birthplace. Other types, such as Laoshan Green (崂山石) and Huangla (黄蜡石), with their green and yellow hues respectively, were more widely collected starting in the Qing dynasty. Agates and "dream stones," whose natural patterns suggest landscapes or other images, are also worth mentioning. Many scholar's stones, however, remain of undetermined origin: if a stone is considered inspiring, its provenance matters little. Nevertheless, some dealers do not hesitate to attribute prestigious origins to them in order to increase their value.

Ying stone. ©Joseph Roussel.

Laoshan Green stone. ©Joseph Roussel.

Huangla stoone. ©Joseph Roussel.

The rocks are generally displayed on wooden pedestals, which could themselves be the subject of in-depth study. Inseparable from the appreciation of the stone, the pedestals reveal its full beauty by showcasing it from its most interesting angle, while also ensuring its stability. These pedestals are custom-made—each stone has a unique shape—and are the result of careful dialogue between the pedestal maker and the collector. A pedestal must enhance the rock without ever overshadowing it. Furthermore, each region of China develops its own styles: more exuberant in the South, more understated and refined in the North.

Why do we talk about "scholar's stones"?

The term "scholar's stone" refers to Chinese scholars, high-ranking officials steeped in classical culture, who had passed the imperial examinations. Their mastery of philosophy and calligraphy naturally fostered a particular affinity with rocks. In their studies, the first scholar's stones were likely utilitarian, serving as brush rests or inkstones for grinding ink.

In the scholar's study, a profound resonance was established between rocks, calligraphy, and painting. The stones became works of art in their own right, responding to the same aesthetic principles as painting: a massive volume resting on a narrow base to suggest tension, an overhanging form evoking a precarious balance above the void, or a surface evoking the work of nature over millennia.

The rocks also offered scholars, often confined to their studies and absorbed in their duties, a direct link with nature. A stone resembling a mountain thus became an escape into the landscape. Even today, it can serve as a basis for reflection on the creation of the world and the transformations of the universe. Living with a scholar's stone is a unique experience: its shapes and colors evolve with the light and the gaze.

Types of bases. ©Joseph Roussel.

Stone of the Debauchee. Summer Palace Garden. ©Kwong Yee Cheng.

Some stones have become famous because of their history. This is the case with the "Debaucher's Stone" (青芝岫, Qingzhi XiuThe painter and collector Mi Wanzhong (1570-1628), nicknamed "the Hermit of Stones," attempted to have it transported to his residence in Beijing. Faced with financial difficulties, he ultimately had to abandon it en route. It was later moved by the Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799) to the Summer Palace in Beijing. Mi Wanzhong was not an isolated case: Chinese history tells of a sovereign who neglected affairs of state to the point of surrendering the empire to invaders, so consumed was his passion for rocks.

The rocks and artistic inspiration

For centuries, rocks have been a major source of inspiration for Chinese artists. Notable examples include Wu Changshuo (1844-1927), with his "stone portraits," and Liu Dan (born in 1953), who depicted famous rocks such as the "Exquisite Jade" in the Yu Garden in Shanghai. Rocks also fascinate many Western artists, including Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997), Brice Marsden (1938-2023), Fabienne Verdier (born in 1962), and Ugo Rondinone (born in 1964).

The acquisition of a gemstone can also spark a personal creative impulse, leading its owner to give it a name. This name can be permanent or evolve over time, as shown in old catalogues such as the Suyuan ShipuThe name of a rock can evoke its shape, convey a poetic inspiration, or reflect an intimate feeling of the collector.

The stone donated to the Cernuschi Museum by Mr. and Mrs. Roussel was christened "The Flight of the Dragon" by Eric Lefebvre, Director of the Cernuschi Museum, during the conference, following suggestions from the audience. This 80 kg rock comes from the bottom of Lake Mohu ("Ink Lake") in Guangxi Province. For Eric Lefebvre, beyond its aesthetic qualities, it symbolizes a living dialogue between past and present: on the one hand, a millennia-old Chinese tradition; on the other, modernity embodied by a type of stone quarried in the modern era.

All that remains is for you to encounter it in the heart of the permanent collections, to discover its unique silhouette, made of solids and voids, and admire its surfaces striated with wrinkles and delicate white lines. Will you see a dragon… or something else entirely?

Estelle Jaubert