{"product_id":"spirit-stones-hardcover-by-thomas-s-elias-kemin-hu-1","title":"Spirit Stones Hardcover by Thomas S. Elias;  Kemin Hu","description":"\u003cbody\u003e\n                \n                    \n                        \u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n                        \u003cul\u003e\n                            \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cb\u003eAbbeville Publishing Group\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e(2014-01-28)\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                            \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanguage\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                            \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e216\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cb\u003epages\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                            \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e9780789211521\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                            \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eItem Weight\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e567.0\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cb\u003egrams\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                            \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e0.0 x 0.0 x 0.0\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cb\u003ecm\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                        \u003c\/ul\u003e\n                        \u003cbr\u003e\n                        \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrilliant photographs of scholars' rocks, or Chinese ornamental stones, from a leading collection\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShaped by nature and selected by man, scholars' rocks, or \u003ci\u003egongshi\u003c\/i\u003e, have been prized by Chinese intellectuals since the Tang dynasty, and are now sought after by Western collectors as well.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThey 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.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHere Singer turns his lens on some 150 fine \u003ci\u003egongshi\u003c\/i\u003e, 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.\"\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nHu contributes an introductory essay on the history and aesthetics of scholars' rocks, explaining the traditional terms of stone appreciation, such as \u003ci\u003eshou\u003c\/i\u003e (thin), \u003ci\u003ezhou\u003c\/i\u003e (wrinkled), \u003ci\u003elou\u003c\/i\u003e (channels), and \u003ci\u003etou\u003c\/i\u003e (holes). She also provides a narrative caption for each stone, describing its history and characteristics.\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n                        \u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n                        \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJonathan Singer’s\u003c\/b\u003e double-elephant folio of \u003ci\u003eBotanica Magnifica\u003c\/i\u003e is kept in the Cullman Rare Book Room at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. Dr. Singer was named a Hasselblad Laureate Award winner based on his contribution to fine art photography and to “our perception and appreciation of the botanical world.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThomas S. Elias, Ph.D\u003c\/b\u003e., is chairman of the Viewing Stone Association of North America and a former director of the U.S. National Arboretum. He is the author or editor of seven books including\u003ci\u003e Chrysanthemum Stones\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Story of Stone Flowers\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKemin Hu\u003c\/b\u003e, one of the foremost experts on scholars’ stones, has authored several books on the subject, including\u003ci\u003e Modern Chinese Scholars’ Rocks, Scholars’ Rocks in Ancient China: The Suyuan Stone Catalogue\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Spirit of Gongshi.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n                    \n                \n            \u003c\/body\u003e","brand":"Best Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"New","offer_id":46554763165857,"sku":"BBSNIJ9780789211521","price":112.5,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0525\/2084\/5473\/files\/9780789211521_2177ac20-b653-48e4-aaaa-2032ffaa6be7.jpg?v=1781776508","url":"https:\/\/www.bestbookstore.ca\/products\/spirit-stones-hardcover-by-thomas-s-elias-kemin-hu-1","provider":"Best Book Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}