The history of Suiseki:

As desribed in chinese documents from the 11th and 12th century, the Art of Suiseki originates from Bonseki "Stone in a Shell" or Kiseki "Rare Stone", from China. Of course not the average inhabitant was working with suiseki but exclusively scholars who used these stones as objects of mediation. But Suiseki has also had a long tradition in Japan. The first stones were brought there from China by trademen. Merchants from the Kentoshi-Group also imported rare stones from china from the 7th until the 10th century. It is known that famous people in Japan owned the stones. The probably most famous stone which is not kept in the Tokugawa-Museam in Nagoja was owned by Emperor Go Daigo (1288-1339). The oldest writings that mention Suiseki belonged to Shogun Ashikage Yoshimasa (1436-1490). He was said to have placed the stones in the Tokonoma (wall-recess in a teahouse) during teaceremonies. From then on the art was said to have spread across the entire country. Much more literature is to be found from the Edo-Period (1603-1867). Suiseki and Bonsai were quite common during that time yet they were retained only for the nobility. Later the average population were also allowed to collect and adore these arts. The fact that both the arts and the cult have remained present has something to do with the close solidarity of the Japanese and nature.

Understanding Suiseki, or what is Suiseki...

(…) Here I have an almost black, shiny stone, which would hardly get any attention in our cultur. It only can really be observed through knowing hints:
An image of a landscape is visible in its shape. It is from Japan and originates from an artistic tradition that is called Suiseki a cultural practice that originates from the stone age.
Evan back then people aquired these completely uncrafted stones and kept that as valuables. In Japan the people were able to keep represenations of scenes in nature at home prior to the times of woodcuttings or photography. This lives on as a tradition even in the Japan of today.
These stones nicely clarify what media are all about. Such a stone is a medium just by displaying a landscape. The very moment when the artist's articulation, the pointing finger, joins in I suddenly start to think what this stone could have for its meaning.
The pointing finger is the earliest toll of practicing art, be it pointing the attention to a cloud or the difficult to recognize image of an entity.
The pointing at the stone makes me examin it. I suddenly see that it resembles a mountainscape with a vallye, maybe a river. But where is the pointing finger when the finder or artist of this masterpiece is no longer among us?
To preserve this explaining function the artist creates a well-fitted frame to the stone which as a socket perfectly embraces it.
Nothing wobbles, even if you shake it. Now it suddenly became a picture with the frame below just like with paintings the frame is supposed direct the viewer and say, Friend, you have to look to the center. What is inside the frame concerns you, within is what wants to tell you something.
So the stone is embraced by the frame and thus becomes a picture. It becomes a plastic visualization of a landscape even though it is completely uncrafted. It has to be uncraftet or else it does not play by the rules of the Suiseki.
It has to be precraftet/prepared by nature, searched for, recognized and aquired by oneself. (…)

Peter Kubelka from the book " Sahara. Text- und Bildessays "

We thank the Artist/Philosopher Peter Kubelka and the editor Christian Reder for the permission to use the text here.
Link: Christian Reder

The different basic forms of Suiseki

The word Suiseki is an abbreviation if the original word SAN-SUI-KEi-SEKI.SAN (Mountain); Sui = Water; KEI = Scene; SEKI/ISHI = Stone

 

1. Form:
YAMAGATA-ISHI (Mountain-Stone)

The mountain-stone has one or more summits and streams and rivers are visible on good stones. Very good stones have white summits that hint to snow or clouds. Mountain-stones are further divided into:
- KOHO-SEKI = Single-Mountain-Stone
- SOHO-SEKI = Dual-Mountain-Stone
- SAMPO-SEKI = Triple-Mountain-Stone
- REMPO-SEKI = Mountain-Chain-Stone

The partitioning of mountain-stones is further divided into two major subcategories:

1. TOYAMA-ISHI/ENZAN-SEKI = Distance-Mountain-Stone
As the name suggests this stone gives an impression of a mountaintop in a chain of mountains that is visible at the horizon from a great distance. The stone should show major differences of hight between the different mountains and within the arrangements of the summits.
The main mountain should always be in the middle or in the background. The tecture should become finer towards the main mountain and ut us called an exceptional Suiseki if in addition soft and shallow valleys are situated between the mountains and the eye of the observer can easily move from mountain to mountain.
2. KIZAN-SEKI = Near-Mountain-Stone
As with a mountain from a short distance fine details are visible. Vanyons at steeply ascending peaks with rough and and desolate contours.

 

2. Form:
TAKI-ISHI (Waterfall-Stone)
A stone on which a waterfall pours out from the chain of mountains or the single mountain. The exact number is not defined. On good stones the waterfall which usually is composed of Quartz or any other bright mineral only on the front. In this category there are three sub-categories:
- ITODAKI-ISHI = Stone with a narrow waterfall
- NUNODAKI-ISHI = Stone with a wide waterfall
- KAREDAKI-ISHI = Stone with a dry waterfall

 

3. Form:

KEIRYU-ISHI (Mountain-river-Stone)
The river should flow from the far side of the stone through the valleys to the front. Here the river is composed of Quartz or any other bright mineral as well.
Finely shaped Suiseki give the impression of the view on a mountain with a river from a plane.

 

4. Form:
DAN-ISHI/DAN-SEKI (Plateau-Stone)
A stone with one or more flat platoes assembled like stairs. A three-step stair is ideal while the length of the top plateau should measure one fourth of the whole stair and the perpendicular areas should be sharp and vertical.

 

5. Form:
SHIMAGATA-ISHI (Island-Stone)
The differences between a mountain-stone and an island-stone are not that big. Since the island in itself is a little more plane and smaller. Cavves and bays suggest that this is an island surrounded by water which is viewed from a distance.
The mountains or hills get more plane towards the water and partly show bays in which the crafter can put sand if they are to present this stone as a Dai. This then emphasizes that the stone represents an island.

 

6. Form:
DOHA-SEKI/DOHA-ISHI (Slope-Stone)
This is a hill with a slowly dropping and soft shape that runs out flat on its edges. The optimum is when the mountain/hill measures one fourth of the overall length of the stone.

 

7. Form:
ISOGATA-ISHI (Shore-stone)
A rocky coastline which has been washed by the tide should be clearly visible on a stone of this kind. It should be shaped as if it is viewed from a close distance. The more details are visible, the better the stone.
There are two sub-categories here as well:
- ARAISO-ISHI (Reef-Stone)
A very flat stone that shows a reef or shallow waters.
- HIRASU-ISHI (Sandbank-Stone)
This one shows a sandbank or the wave-toppings which occur in a bay.

 

8. Form:
MIZUTAMARI-ISHI (Waterpond-stone)
A stone with submersion that looks like a mountain lake, pond or pool. The submersion should be dominating the appearance of the stone. The impression of a pond can be intensified by putting water into the submersion. With black stones a little milk is added to the water. Suiseki that have a pond and one or more mountains are to be very valuable and achive high prices.

 

9. Form:
IWAGA-ISHI (Coast-Stone)
These Suiseki are shaped without peaks and with this do not display mountains but high coastlines which are shaped by wind and water. It is also possible that the impression of a steep cliff or a single stone steeply rising from the water is given. The most valuable stones show clear markings at the base which are interpreted as waves or breaker.

 

10. Form:
DOKUTSU-ISHI (Cave-Stone)
A Suiseki in which a cave is the dominating theme. The stone is considered special if the cave is large enough so that the end is not visible or it is bend to the side.

 

11. Form:
YADORI/AMAYADORI-ISHI (Refuge-Stone)
This stone has an excess under which hikers can take shelter from sudden changes in weather or thunderstorms.

 

12. Form:
DOMON-ISHI (Tunnel-Stone)
The suiseki should show a tunnel or a stonegate which has been washed out from the water of the sea or a river. Nature holds enough examples for this.