from the suiseki’s aesthetic qualities, the collector is initially concerned with the size and hardness of the stone. The test for size is only approximate: the stone should be larger than a jewel or pendant but not too heavy for a person of average strength to lift. Anything larger is considered to be an outdoor garden stone (niwa-ishi). Miniature suiseki—stones smaller than 3 inches high and 3 to 4 inches wide—are seldom less than 1½ inches high (Fig. 35); large suiseki are rarely more than 12 inches high, 24 inches long, and 12 inches wide. Within this range of sizes the most valuable stones are those that are hard and firm. Soft and lightweight volcanic or sedimentary stones have traditionally not been used, although in recent years they have gained in popularity.
Having selected a stone of appropriate size and hardness, the collector is primarily concerned with the stone’s aesthetic qualities. Does the stone have an interesting color, patina, and texture? Is the shape balanced and harmonious? Are there obvious faults or structural defects? Does the stone suggest a distant peak, an island, or some other object associated with nature? What emotion does the stone arouse? Is it one of tranquillity and serenity or one of striving and anxiety?
By asking these questions, the collector is seeking information about three interrelated aesthetic qualities common to nearly all traditional suiseki: suggestiveness, subdued color, and balance. The collector is also judging whether the stone possesses wabi, sabi, shibui, and yugen—four closely related Japanese aesthetic concepts with no direct English equivalents. Their meanings will be discussed later in this chaper.
Fig 7. Near-view mountain stone. The shape of the stone suggests the mountain scenery shown in Figure 36. Height: approx. 4 inches (10 cm.). Place of origin: United States (California).
SUGGESTIVENESS
The beauty of a suiseki is derived, in part, from the power of the stone to suggest a scene or object (Figs. 7, 36). For centuries collectors have searched for stones that excite the imagination. Prior to the nineteeth century the most admired stones were those that suggested a mountain set in a lake, or an island in the sea. By the twentieth century, however, Japanese tastes had changed, and virtually any naturally formed stone that suggested a natural scene or an object associated with nature could be given serious consideration.
The suggestive possibilities of suiseki are almost limitless. The stone can transport the viewer to a lonely, abandoned thatched hut by the sea, or to a world of snow-covered mountains, hidden valleys, alpine meadows, austere mountain passes, desert plateaus, cascading waterfalls, windswept islands, hermit caves, clear mountain lakes, or storm-battered cliffs. Alternatively, the viewer may see the beauty of a delicate flower eternally frozen in the stone.
Today, as in the past, suiseki are often given names which express the suggestive qualities of the stone. The names of some well-known Japanese stones are “Snow-Covered Cottage,” “Moon over the Rice Paddies,” and “Twilight Clouds.” Suiseki are also frequently given names that express a poetic or emotional sentiment, such as “Stillness” and “Elegance.” The name given to a suiseki may, in addition, evoke literary, musical, artistic, philosophical, mythological, or religious associations. Some illustrative names of American suiseki, for example, are “Mona Lisa,” “Shangrila,” and “Four Seasons.”
Paradoxically, it is often the case that the simpler the stone, the greater its richness and expressive possibilities. The highest-quality suiseki are not exact copies of natural objects; in accordance with the Zen-related preference for simplicity, the best stones capture the essence of the object in only a few simple gestures. By presenting only a suggestion of the object, by expressing more with less, such stones stimulate and challenge the imagination, enticing the viewer to complete the picture.
Suggestion, being both ambiguous and subjective, depends in large part on the willingness of the viewer to admit a deeper beauty in the stone. Drawing on each individual’s unique experience and ability to go beyond literal facts, a single stone can evoke a variety of associations, interpretations, and responses (Fig. 37).
SUBDUED COLOR
The color of most traditional suiseki is somber and subdued. Stones of deep color—especially black, gray, or the more subdued shades of brown, green, blue, yellow, red, and purple—are generally preferred to those that are light in color. Crystals and stones that are pure white have traditionally not been selected. Most collectors feel that crystals have a superficial charm that is distracting, and that pure-white stones lack character, interest, and depth.
Color is a vital element in the suggestive power of a suiseki. The color of a stone may evoke the image of the first green tender leaves of spring, the blue of a crystal-clear day in the mountains, the scarlet and crimson colors of autumn leaves, the soft gray of a morning mist, the pastel colors of the breaking dawn, or the pale pink color of a winter twilight reflected on a mountain glacier.
The most prized suiseki are those that possess a blend of subtle colors. The colors arise from deep within the stone, as if illuminated by a hidden light source. Each color veils the one beneath, creating an effect of age and mystery.
The beauty of a stone can be considerably enhanced by a subtle patina, and by deep patches of green or black suggesting cliffs and caves. To encourage the formation of a patina, some owners water their stones several times a day and store them in partially shaded places. Many collectors spray their stones with water to enhance their color while on display. Wetness brings out subtle surface tones; it also deepens the color and produces a more aged appearance. In order to achieve the same effect, many collectors frequently touch their stones, thereby transferring body oils to the stone’s surface.
Fig 8. Distant mountain stone illustrating the interplay and harmonious balance of opposite yet complementary aspects. Place of origin: Japan (Kamogawa, Kyoto).
BALANCE
Balance is an essential element in the beauty of a suiseki, providing much of its aesthetic interest. In judging a suiseki, the collector examines the stone from all six sides (front, back, left side, right side, top, and bottom) and looks for asymmetrical, nonrepetitive, irregular, and contrasting elements in harmonious balance. These elements are especially important in choosing the “front” (i.e. the most attractive and interesting side) of the suiseki. Stones with elements that exactly repeat one another and stones that are distinctively square, round, or equilaterally triangular in shape are seldom chosen. Most collectors feel that such stones are excessively rigid and formal in feeling, and that they lack the traces of individuality that set each suiseki apart from all other stones.
Balance is created by the dynamic interplay and equilibrium of several opposite yet complementary aspects or characteristics of the stone: tallness/shortness, largeness/smallness, verticality/horizontality, convexity/concavity, hardness/softness, straightness/roundness, roughness/smoothness, darkness/lightness, movement /stillness (Fig. 8). The quality of a suiseki is determined, at least in part, by the answers given to the following questions: Do the various elements combine to form a stable and well-grounded stone? Are the various parts harmoniously proportioned? Are any triangular shapes equilateral or asymmetrical? (Preference is given to shapes that form an asymmetrical triangle.) Is there variety in the stone’s texture and in the size and shape of the peaks? Is the number of peaks odd or even? (Preference is given to an odd number of peaks if there are more than two.) Is there a pleasing balance of vertical and horizontal features? If the stone is not balanced, these varied elements will clash with one another, creating a feeling of instability and clutter. In a well-formed suiseki, asymmetrical elements combine together to create an integrated, stable, and harmonious whole.
WABI, SABI, SHIBUI, AND
