Island from VietNam

[quote]

My Motherland

Beautiful...good inspiration!

[quote="Nguyenhungson"]

My Motherland

IBC has an very special friend named Vung Nguyen Van, who once posted frequently. His stories of collecting are marvelous, and many of us have stayed in touch through email and/or social networks. Vung recently shared that he knows your brother, and I appreciated learning more of Nguyenhungson family collecting:

Nguyenhungson in German is the elder brother of a young guy named Hung living in Nhatrang. They have collected a lot of stones. Nha Trang is a small beach city so the stone circle becomes so big. As a matter of fact, I know his brother. He has long been my "hello" friend.

From 35-50 km away to the west of Nhatrang City is Khanh Vinh District where we often collect black stones along the Cai River. I appreciate this kind of stone from this river.

Another kind of black stone you may find from their posts is the "skull stone." It is not from river but collected from hills, and they are often modified to clear off the dirty surface.

This week, Vung notes:

Big rains have been pouring for past two days causing floods around. The wicked currents often turn upside down the riverbanks and nice stones will come up to lucky hunters. Hopefully I will go to Khanh Vinh this Saturday to get some...

It is a small world that we share. Here is the cover of a stone collector's book Vung has shared with friends.

Your black stones are very interesting, perhaps even more engaging than those in the book. So are a wide variety of stones Vung has collected in Vietnam and displayed on IBC. Thanks for sharing.

Can you give us some idea of the size of your black stones? Vung sent me one as a gift which IBC moderator John Quinn delivered after visiting Vung. My gift from Vung is approximately 14cm/5.5" in length and illustrated here...

Hi,Everybody love Suiseki and Chris
I am very happy when You visit and the comments of my Stone
Here are some data about my Stone:

Thanks for the exceptional glimpse of size as well as illustration. They are larger than I imagined and more appreciated for falling in the range of stones which can be appreciated individually as well as in arrangements with other objects. The humility of a stone that can be carried in one hand (or easily in two hands) encourages significant engagement by the viewer in imagining a scenic feeling.

Landscape-view stones in the 6"/15cm-to-12"/30cm size are easily appreciated for intimate, individual viewing. Stones larger and smaller are equally valued when fulfilling their function. Larger stones can be helpful in public exhibits where seen at a distance as well as close. They are especially appreciated for drawing interest from new viewers. Additionally, extra length helps landscape-view stones which have little height or mass without the greater length. Landscape view stones which are palm-sized (under 4"/10cm) are easily appreciated when balanced among other objects in an arrangement-- it could be an arrangement of all stones in a multi-tiered stand.

While these are my personal preferences & influenced by Japanese practices, they might not be the preference for others or among their stone associates. I'd like to hear from Vietnamese collectors about their preferences. Vietnamese preference should inform viewers of Nguyenhungson's serious Vietnamese stone (and stone seating) collection. I look forward to continued opportunities to learn, here.

The Vietnamese stone from Vung has a natural bottom which is deeply set to assure that it sits at its best angle. That appears common in your stones, as well, Nguyenhungson. Are Vietnamese stones (limestone or otherwise) cut to assist artistic seating? Which options drive the decision for the Vietnamese carver of a stone's seat:
1. appreciate & protect the natural contour on the underside of a stone?
2. accept cutting the bottom of a stone to create a thin, understated seat?
3. accept cutting the bottom of a stone to ease mounting?

Thanks for sharing!

Hallo Chris Cochrane
thanks for your article, as well as your interest about Stone and Vietnamese love Stone
1. appreciate & protect the natural contour on the underside of a stone? Yes
2. accept cutting the bottom of a stone to create a thin, understated seat? No
3. accept cutting the bottom of a stone to ease mounting? No

Landscape-view Stone in Vietnam I can be divided into three categories
1.Landscape-view Stone for Garden (Non bộ) has over 1000 years ago, people build together the stones of the mountain, hill .. in a large tray containing water, they planted trees view as the lake and the mountain.

2.Fengshui stones include: Agate, Chalcedony, Fossil Wood … . Nature of these rocks vary by type of stone, but with very strong energy from Earth nearly equal to the energy of quartz,

3.Suiseki has about 15-17 year ago in Vietnam. General Our preferences daiza, which is constructed uniquely for each stone .the Stone haven’t crevices, edges broken and not cut Stone,( a few people learned how to cut the Stone for their collection more and more.)
We like stone has size from 30-80cm, weighs between 8-60kg.

Next time i post more picture Big Suiseki
Chao