Gongshi; China, Qing dynasty, c. 1800.

Gongshi; China, Qing dynasty, c. 1800.
Natural coral with silver mount of later period (XIX century).
Measurements: 32 x 16 x 6 cm (without stand).
Weight: 1250 g.
Gongshi or Góng shí, are natural or carved rocks that Chinese scholars appreciate as works of art. Known as scholar's rocks, they are placed on a custom-made stand and can be viewed from multiple angles. These stones invite contemplation and are also known by the Korean term suseok and the Japanese term suisek.
In some Eastern cultures, red coral is not only a highly esteemed adornment, but also a sign of dignity or command: the Mandarins of China wore it as an attribute of their authority. The Turks were also very fond of coral ornaments, which they wore not only on their person, but also in the decoration and ornamentation of their homes. The Greeks designated coral by the name of korallion, which means "ornament of the sea", this word passed into Latin as corallium, from which the word coral was derived. The color of the limestone shaft offers a great variety of shades ranging from red to pink and some of these colorations have a delicate and soft pink hue, the most sought after by divers. The limestone shaft is so compact and homogeneous that it can be subjected to the most perfect polishing without disintegration and cracking, a property that allows it to be worked and carved in a thousand different ways to achieve an infinite number of decorative or artistic objects.