The origin of stone culture

According to analysis by archaeologists, the history of human stone appreciation can be traced back to 18,000 years ago. In the "Shu Jing", one of the Confucian classics during the Warring States Period, the first article ever written about stones, "Yu Gong", appeared.

The article records various mineral stone types and lists the strange rocks produced in Mount Tai as tribute to King Yu, which can be said to have pioneered the study of stone culture. In the "Historical Records" (originally known as "Tai Shi Gong Shu") written by Sima Qian of the Western Han Dynasty, there is a record that "Xuanyuan appreciated jade, Shun gave Xuan Gui, and ministers paid tribute to strange rocks."

The earliest poems praising stones can be found in "Yang Zhi Shui" and "Gradual Stone" in "The Book of Songs". Bai Juyi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty, also loved admiring stones and wrote poems about them. The ancients regarded stone appreciation as a major hobby, and regarded the fine stones as precious jade, and loved them like their children and grandchildren, which shows the ancient people's love for strange stones.

In ancient my country, many literati liked to play with and hide stones. The great writer Su Dongpo of the Song Dynasty liked to collect stones, which was recorded in his "Dongpo Zhilin". Mi Fu, a calligrapher in the Song Dynasty, loved stones as much as his life. Whenever he saw a strange stone, he would kowtow and worship. He was called "Mi Dian" and left a good saying that "Mi Dian worships stones". The Qing Dynasty writer Pu Songling loved stones and collected countless strange stones throughout his life. It is said that the strange stones he collected back then are still preserved in the Pu Songling Hometown Memorial Hall.

Many famous modern writers and artists such as Guo Moruo, Zhang Daqian, Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi, Mei Lanfang, Lao She, etc. are lovers of strange stones. They love rocks, appreciate rocks, write about rocks, paint rocks, and chant rocks. , further promoted the development of my country's stone culture.

Extended information:

The allusion of "Mi Dian worships the stone":

Ye Mengde of the Song Dynasty recorded such an incident in "Yan Yu in the Stone Forest·Volume 10": "(Mi Fu) Zhi Wuweijun, when he first entered Sichuan, he saw a strange standing stone, and he said happily: 'This is enough for me to worship'. Then he ordered the left and right to take robes and wats to worship it, and every time he called out: 'Shi Zhang'. Those who spoke things After hearing about it, the court also heard that it was a joke."

Translation: Mi Fu, who was the military commander of Wuwei, just arrived at Guandi and saw a very strange standing stone. He was very surprised and said: "This stone is enough to make people happy. I worship." So he ordered his subordinates to put on official robes and hold the wat tablet in their hands to worship it. While paying homage to it, they shouted "Shi Zhang". People who like to spread rumors talked about it everywhere after hearing it, and it was also spread as a joke among the officials in the court. "

In "Liangxi Manzhi Volume 6" by Fei Gun of the Song Dynasty, there is another incident of Mi Fu worshiping stones: "Mi Yuanzhang was guarding Ruxu and heard that there was a strange stone in the river, but he didn't know it. Where it came from, people thought it was different and did not dare to take it. The official ordered it to be moved to the state for Yan You's fun. Shi was startled when he arrived, and he quickly ordered a banquet to be held. He bowed down in the court and said, "I have been wanting to see Brother Shi for twenty years." ”

Translation: Mi Yuanzhang was the governor of Ruxu. He heard that there was a strange big stone on the empty dam by the river. I don’t know where it came from. People thought it was a magical thing and they didn’t dare to Move it. Mi Yuanzhang ordered the strange stone to be moved back to the prefecture and county as a tourist attraction. When the big stone was moved back, Mi Yuanzhang was very surprised and immediately ordered his subordinates to hold a banquet and kneel down in the hall. Said: "I have wanted to see you, Brother Shi, for twenty years."