拍賣筆記 vol.506 蘇富比香港2026：明至清靈璧石供，萬古之幽專場 - Sotheby’s HK 2026, A Lingbi Scholar’s Rock, Ming – Qing Dynasty

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實物體量雄偉，皮殼包漿瑩潤，造型高古，令人遙想起范寬《溪山行旅圖》中的山——幾乎不見樹木點綴，而是以山體本身的磅礴氣勢迎面壓來，震撼人心。高古之意，油然而生。本次「萬古之幽」專場，實以高古趣味為核心。

以高古為線索、以金石文字為中心的收藏理念，向來是中國收藏的根本所在，亦是東方與西方收藏最大之分野。從古代書畫觀之，傳李成《讀碑圖》中的深山訪古，早已道破其中奧妙；趙孟頫更直言：「若無古意，雖工無益。」仇國仕作為仇英之後，乃當今世界極少數能承續中國藝術品味潮流之任者。

本次拍品雖橫跨中國歷史數千年，其精神核心與審美意趣卻一以貫之。若能稍稍超脫一時之好與一己之趣，轉而擁抱歷史的長流，或更能重返中國藝術之浩瀚。（SACA觀察，2026.10.26）

范寬，溪山行旅圖，台北故宮博物院

李成，讀碑圖，大阪市立美術館

明至清　靈璧石供

A lingbi scholar’s rock, Ming – Qing dynasty

Live auction begins on:

October 30, 10:00 AM HKT

Estimate

600,000 - 1,200,000 HKD

Description

75 cm

出版

仇國仕，《無盡意》，香港，2018年，編號49

此方靈璧石乃大自然鬼斧神工之作，以其大體量及其懸挑之姿而卓爾不群。自古以來，中國文人雅士對供石珍愛有加，將其視為書齋中大自然之微縮化身。明代造園名家計成（1582-1642）於崇禎四年撰《園冶》一書，對此類奇石之賞玩有著詳盡記載。計成指出，靈璧石產自安徽宿州磬山，出土後需經反覆剔刮刷洗，方能展露其真實石色。這些天然形成如奇峰懸崖般的靈璧石，往往須藉匠人巧手修治以全其美，方可置於几案觀賞或作盆景。書中亦提及，形狀扁平如雲氣者，可懸於室中為磬，即古籍《尚書》中著名之「泗濱浮磬」。

對此類非凡奇石的狂熱推崇，在北宋徽宗（1100-1125年在位）時期達到了頂峰。徽宗酷愛奇花異石，更設立著名的「花石綱」，將巨石運往都城汴京（開封）。他對這些自然奇觀的深厚情感，不朽於其御筆《祥龍石圖》卷，現藏北京故宮博物院（博物館編號：新00147135）中。在此畫作中，徽宗描繪了一塊宛如蛟龍騰空、上下翻滾的奇石，完美體現了傳統賞石的五大審美標準。在他看來，這類奇石不僅是園林點綴，更是國運昌盛的祥瑞之兆。此方靈璧石，其如雲般懸挑的宏大頂部與肌理豐富的石身，同樣散發著如畫中祥龍般威猛靈動的氣韻，引人神遊於其微縮的千巖萬壑之間。

相類靈璧石供之珍例，可參考翦淞閣舊藏之宋至明 黑靈璧石，售於香港蘇富比2024年10月29日，編號1526。

The collecting philosophy that takes high antiquity as its guiding thread and epigraphy—the inscribed word—as its core has long been fundamental to Chinese connoisseurship, and constitutes the principal distinction between Eastern and Western approaches to collecting.

In classical painting, the tradition of seeking the ancient in remote mountains, as seen in the work attributed to Li Cheng known as Reading the Stele, already reveals this deeper truth. Zhao Mengfu put it even more directly: “Without the spirit of antiquity, however skillful the hand, the work is of no benefit.” Qiu Guoshi, a descendant of Qiu Ying, stands among the very few figures in the contemporary world capable of shouldering the responsibility of advancing Chinese artistic taste. Although the works offered in this sale span thousands of years of Chinese history, their spiritual core and aesthetic vision remain consistent.

If one can gently move beyond the preferences of the moment and the inclinations of the individual, and instead embrace the long currents of history, one may more fully return to the vast expanse of Chinese art.

(SACA Observations, 26 October 2026)

Literature

Nicolas Chow, The Literati Aesthetic, Hong Kong, 2018, no. 49.

The present Lingbi rock is an example of nature's artistry, distinguished by its impressive size and dramatic, overhanging form. Scholar's rocks, or gongshi, have been treasured by Chinese literati for centuries, serving as microcosms of the natural world within the confines of a studio. The appreciation of such extraordinary stones is well-documented by the Ming dynasty garden designer Ji Cheng (1582-1642) in his 1631 treatise Yuanye [The Craft of Gardens]. Ji Cheng noted that Lingbi rocks originated from Qingshan in Suzhou, Anhui province, and required painstaking cleaning after excavation to reveal their true colour. These stones, naturally occurring as towering peaks or cliffs, were masterfully wrought by craftsmen to accentuate their beauty for display on a table or as penjing (miniature landscapes). He further observed that flatter Lingbi rocks, resembling clouds, were suitable for being hung indoors as chimes, famously referred to as 'floating chimes' in the ancient text Shang shu [The Book of Documents].

The fascination with such extraordinary geological formations reached a zenith during the Northern Song dynasty under the patronage of Emperor Huizong (r. 1100-1125). A fervent collector of peculiar rocks and plants, Huizong famously established the 'Flower and Rock Network' to transport massive stones to his capital in Kaifeng. His profound admiration for these natural wonders is immortalised in his painting Xianglong shi tu (Auspicious Dragon Rock), currently preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing (assertion number Xin00147135). In this masterpiece, Huizong depicts a rock that writhes and twists like a soaring dragon, embodying the very essence of the five aesthetic criteria. He viewed such rocks not merely as garden ornaments, but as auspicious omens of the empire's prosperity. The present Lingbi rock, with its imposing, cloud-like overhang and deeply textured surface, shares this same majestic and dragon-like vitality, inviting the viewer to embark on a spiritual journey through its miniature peaks and valleys.

For a related example of a highly prized Lingbi rock sold at auction, compare 'Heavenly Raft', a black Lingbi scholar's rock dating from the Song to Ming dynasty, from the Jiansongge Collection, sold in Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 29th October 2024, lot 1526.