Songhua River Stone
MediumSonghua river stone with wood base
DimensionsOverall: 5 7/8 × 12 3/8 × 3 15/16 in. (15 × 31.5 × 10 cm)
Support (Base/Wife): 1 9/16 × 11 1/4 × 3 15/16 in. (4 × 28.5 × 10 cm)
Support (Base/Wife): 1 9/16 × 11 1/4 × 3 15/16 in. (4 × 28.5 × 10 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift of Stan and Nancy Kaplan, 2019
Object numberSN11681.13
Songhua River stone, or Songhua jade, is a sedimentary marine limestone rock sourced from the Songhua River Basin in Jilin Province, northeastern China. The soft green color of this example is typical of Songhua stones, but depending on the presence of other minerals, the Songhua stones may be yellow, red, or purple. The fine, even grain of the stone, the result of slow deposition, makes it suitable for inkstones. Emperor Kangxi (1654–1722) praised a Songhua inkstone in his collection, “It is ancient and rich in quality, green in color and clear in sound, and it is good for ink, so it is a treasure.”
On View
On viewLocation
- Center for Asian Art, 2nd floor, Chao Gallery, Case E
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