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石 (Stone)

: “Shi” (stone) is a pictographic word. In the oracle bone inscriptions,...

“Shigandang” is a stone tablet carved out of the stone from Taishan Mountain. Legend has it that the ancient Chinese believed the stone in Taishan Mountain was endowed with unique spirituality and divine power. So they carried stones from Taishan Mountain and carved them into tablets. They erected the tablets in the street or the lane, particularly the “T”-crossing which was regarded as an ominous position by the geomancer, in the hope of warding off the evil spirits. The tablets would be inscribed with the Chinese characters “shi gan dang(石敢当)” or “tai shan shi gan dang” (泰山石敢当), on top of which the lion head or tiger head would be carved in low relief.

: The Taihu stone, also named porous stone, is a kind of limestone. They are produced along the Taihu Lake at the foot of Dongting Mountain of Suzhou. For the long-time surging of the waves, the stones are featuring numerous pores and holes. Peculiar and precipitous in appearance, they are of high ornamental value and have been much favored by garden designers since the ancient. The stones are especially fit for the decoration of parks, lawns, campuses, gardens, scenic spots, etc. Famous Taihu stones coming down from history include the “guanyun feng” (Cloud-capped Peak) in the Lingering Garden of Suzhou, the “yulinglong” (literally, exquisite jade) in the Yu Garden of Shanghai. It is said that the well-known stones have had thousands of years of history.