What is Biseki?
The meaning and use of the Japanese word beautiful stones, biseki, and how it fits into Japanese aesthetics.
By Thomas S. Elias, September, 2021
Japanese suiseki practice has had a greater influence on nascent stone appreciation practices in Western countries than Chinese traditions. In addition to aesthetic concepts, one of the most difficult terms for non-Japanese stone enthusiasts is understanding the Japanese term biseki. These interpretations caused confusion, especially when there is a reliance on articles written in English and other non-Japanese languages about biseki.
Some non-Japanese writers described biseki as applying to worked stones, while others defined the term as applying to beautiful stones resulting from polishing. Still, others described colorful stones as biseki. These interpretations caused confusion, especially among people new to the art of stone appreciation. This article will examine Japanese language books and articles on suiseki and explain how Japanese stone connoisseurs used and defined biseki.
Interest in colorful and beautiful stones reached a peak in Japan during the popularization of viewing stones beginning in the 1960s and extending through the 1980s. At this time, thousands of people developed an interest in searching rivers for stones and learning about stone appreciation. Hundreds of local clubs formed under the umbrella of the All-Japan Aiseki Association. During this time, so many people were interested in colorful stones that the Japan Biseki Association was established. Biseki stones are more frequently seen in All Japan Aiseki Association exhibitions than in exhibitions staged by the Japan Suiseki Association.
Japanese Biseki: blue-colored Toki-ishi and next, Esahi agate from Hokkaido
First: Shikotan Ruby stone from Hokkaido; Next: small cherry flower stone from Neo Valley near Gifu.
A classification system was developed in Japan to help people understand the range of rocks, minerals, and to a lesser extent, fossils collected and appreciated in Japan during a peak of their popularity at least five decades ago. This broad assemblage of rocks and minerals was placed into a primary category, viewing stones, with three subdivisions: suiseki, chinseki, and biseki by Murata in his 1960s and 1970s publications. These are not sharply defined groups but subjective categories based upon specific shared characteristics. The division of viewing stones into these subdivisions was generally accepted among stone hobbyists and by Matsuura Arishige in his Introduction to Suiseki in 2010.
Biseki is a combination of two words bi (美), meaning "beautiful," and seki (石), meaning stone. The origin of biseki comes from the earlier Chinese term Mei-shi (美石) used for certain beautifully colored rocks. The literal translation refers to the beauty of a stone. Since beauty is a subjective term and subject to a wide range of interpretation, how does the word biseki apply to stones?
Japanese chrysanthemum flower stones and Sado Island Akadama stones are the most frequently used examples illustrating the
biseki concept. The majority of
kikka-seki requires removing some of the matrix stones followed by mechanical polishing to expose and bring out the beauty of the flower-like mineral formations embedded in the rock. There are also chrysanthemum flower stones in Japan that do not require any polishing or alterations to view the patterns. These stones are called
Saba-kiku, and fall into the suiseki classification system, demonstrating that the classification system is artificial and not based on shared naturally occurring features.
These excellent Neo Valley polished chrysanthemum flower stones can be called biseki.
Sado Island akadama stones are typically red, although multicolored akadama stones are known. The naturally occurring form of the rocks is usually enhanced by chipping away pieces of the stone to form attractive, simple mountain-shaped rocks. These stones are also considered biseki, even though the stones are not polished. The presence of color is the crucial element, not the mechanical alteration. Only rarely are Sado island stones polished.
Sado Island stones: a shaped stone (first) and a multicolored stone (next).
Another type of Japanese stone considered biseki is the Kotaki River Jade found near Itoigawa City in Niigata prefecture. These jade pieces vary in color from yellowish-green to dark green. They are often carved, polished, and made into small ornaments. Naturally occurring jade is rare in Japan.
"Spring in the Mountains" is Kotaki jade that is 20 cm wide, 4.2 cm high, 10 cm deep, and appears to have been shaped along the back of the stone.
The fourth type of Japanese stone that can be either
biseki
or
suiseki
is Toki-ishi from Gifu and Aichi Prefectures in Japan. These pieces of petrified wood have been tumbled and shaped in the Toki River for centuries. The primary appeal of these stones is their colors that range from red, green, yellow, black, and pink to be multicolored. These stones were polished at one time, which made the colors more apparent and took away from their natural appearance. Any polished Toki-ishi would be considered as
biseki. The more colorful, naturally occurring unpolished pieces may also be called
biseki, while other darker-colored ones would fit into the
suiseki
categories, mainly if they were suggestive.
Variations in color and forms of Toki-ishi from Japan.
A review of the Japanese literature might help understand why there is a difference of opinion on what constitutes biseki. Murata Keiji, stone connoisseur and prolific writer, wrote that biseki is "a polished stone with beautiful skin" in his Introduction to Suiseki (1966). A year later in his co-authored book Beautiful and Rare Stones, Murata, defined biseki as "beautiful stone." He included gems, semiprecious stones, and decorative stones within the definition. He went on to state that brilliance and beauty are the most important factors.
The Aiseki Dictionary (愛石事典) edited by Gekkan-Aiseki (月間愛石) defines biseki as polished stones with beautiful colors and patterns for appreciation purposes. Murata Kenji, writing in The Encyclopedia of Bonsai (盆栽大事典), stated that biseki included gemstone such as zircon and garnet that are used more for decorative items than suggestive stones. Murata Keiji best-summarized biseki as emphasizing the beauty of color while the form and material are secondary. He stated that biseki are mainly polished stones, sometimes wholly manufactured, and used as decorative objects. The distinction between a decorative item and a contemplative one is essential.
Sato Kanseki wrote an article, The Theory of Genuine Biseki, in the December 1986 issue of Aiseki World magazine. In this article, he stated that biseki represents miyabi (the beauty of brilliance in colors and patterns), one of the aesthetic concepts in Japan, while the essence of suiseki represents the wabi and sabi aesthetic concepts. Sato explains that wabi and sabi began in the Middle Age in Japan (Kamakura and Muromachi periods), while miyabi is a much older concept of Japanese beauty (6th-11th century). The aesthetic concept of miyabi can be seen in descriptions of Tale of Genji written in the Heian period (794-1185 CE). Sato claims that aesthetically speaking biseki is more beautiful than Suiseki.
Matsuura, former chairman of the Japanese Suiseki Association, basically restated Murata's definition for biseki in his 2010 Introduction to Suiseki as a term that applies to stones that have been heavily polished and are appreciated for their color above all else. "The polishing allows patterns in the stone to become more evident. These patterns are often abstract patterns that reflect the geological (mineral) qualities rather than the suggestive nature of a rock. "
In summary, there is no consensus in Japan on what constitutes biseki, nor is there consensus among the international community of viewing stones enthusiasts. Actually, a clearly defined definition is irrelevant. Instead, stone enthusiasts should be focusing on learning how to recognize the features of a good stone, the meaning it conveys or suggests, and how to display it rather than debating the definition of an artificially generated classification term.
