Stone of the Month: February 2019"Xiao Dongtian"
This small irregular-shaped Lingbi stone with a prominent tunnel and arch in the center came from an older collection once owned by a stone connoisseur. This was a special stone that was greatly admired because a previous owner had the inscription “Xiao Dongtian” carved on the front face of the upper part of the arch. Literally the inscription means “small cave in the mountains that reach the heavens.” This is in reference to the early Taoist literature and beliefs to a place where immortals lives. The artistic name of the former owner is on the lower back side of the stone. It reads “White Cloud Mountain Hermit” which is a clue that this stone was in the possession of an ardent Taoist. This stone is 26 cm wide, 14 cm high, and 14 cm deep and is in a private collection.
