The scholar’s rocks ("gongshi") are pieces of rock taken from the nature and put on the scholars’ table (writters paintors) to give then inspiration, imagination, to "see" mountains or caves.

 rocks from outside "ying stone" faconnated by rain and wind like the Stone Forrest in Yunnan

 rocks from water "Tai Hu stone" supposed taken from the Tai Lake (with some new holes)

The Chineses have been collecting these stones for thousands years, to pay homage to the nature .