The U.S. National Arboretum will present a lecture by internationally renowned Chinese scholar’s rock expert Kemin Hu on Saturday, September 22, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the Arboretum’s Administration Building Auditorium.  The lecture, co-sponsored by the Potomac Viewing Stone Group, is free and open to the public.  Reservations are recommended due to limited seating and may be made by calling 202-245-4521 or email Regina.Robinson@ars.usda.gov. A reception in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum hosted by the National Bonsai Foundation follows the lecture.

Mrs. Hu, an authority and author of three books on Chinese scholar’s rocks will introduce beginning and avid stone collectors and enthusiasts to the history of scholar’s rocks, from ancient to modern times. She will also critique a selection of scholar’s rocks from private collections. Hu operates a gallery in Boston where she exhibits a wide array of stones, including scholar’s rocks.

“Scholar’s rock” is the name most often used in the West for an unusual stone known in China as gongshi, a word written in Chinese with the characters for “respect” and “stone.”  These rare stones have only recently gained international recognition after being collected and treasured by Chinese scholar-officials for more than 1500 years. The Chinese reverence for stones is rooted in ancient Taoist beliefs that the life force, the qi or spirit, of the universe is contained in mountains.  For this reason, some prefer to call gongshi “spirit stones” for their ability to suggest the mysterious and spiritual aspects of nature.  Chinese collectors sought out stones more for their spiritual qualities, than for mere representations of reality.

Following the program, Hu will join participants for a reception in the Arboretum’s National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, where she will sign copies of her latest book Modern Scholars: A Guide for Collectors. Hu’s lecture coincides with an exhibit in the museum that features one of the most remarkable types of scholar’s rock, the chrysanthemum stone.  These dark stones contain minerals in formations that look like chrysanthemum flowers.  One of the stones on view is considered to be the finest example of its type in the West, and is over 4 feet tall.

Members of the Potomac Viewing Stone Group are interested in continuing the Chinese tradition of stone appreciation and collecting.  Modeled after stone appreciation clubs in Japan, the group uses the more general term “viewing stone,” to include stones from many places (Japan, North America, Africa, China, etc.) that are worthy of respect and admiration.  The group displays stones from their members’ collections at the Arboretum twice a year.

The National Arboretum was established by an Act of Congress in 1927 and is located in Northeast Washington, D.C.  The Arboretum is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service.  Its mission is to serve the public need for scientific research, education, and gardens that conserve and showcase plants to enhance the environment.