stone from Duy Trung, Viet Nam

please help me! I can't name this suiseki.
side 1

side 2

Hi Thientrakieu... This is a lovely stone to me. It recalls a remote mountain crag. That you desire to name it is okay, but I would prefer it unnamed and enjoyed as a landscape view. Poetic naming will reduce the imaginative travel of others, who will add their own experience, content & cultural views to appreciation of the stone.

What is extremely nice about the seat is its evenly stepped second wall. For some reason daiza carvers often make the "rise" larger than the "step" (or worse, allow the rise of an interior wall to meander up-and down). Those fail to best highlight the subtle movement of a stone's footprint. Your daiza with more than one interior wall looks great as the second wall's depth & height is about equal. I congratulate the carver.

The wood seat in roughly daiza-style is so big and does not hold the stone's socket closely. I'd prefer a smaller stand closer to Japanese daiza tradition to best highlight the stone, or a taller stand with the mountain crag floating high in South China style elevated above a platform. The Chinese-style stand would suggest the crag's extreme remoteness from human habitation-- a place where only immortals might visit on the backs of cranes.

Here are rough suggestions of alternative wood seats if a skilled carver is available to produce one...

Smaller daiza (Japanese) style seat...


Seat in more Southern China style...

This stone would also look nice in a tray as a "Coastal Rock" or "Massive Rock"-- both are called iwagata in Japanese. Because the off-white stone is not as treasured in Japanese suiseki collecting, you might chose a Chinese-style marble tray substantial enough to strongly support it. IMO, a wood tray or board (socketed, if necessary) would also look very nice under this stone. The small window through the stone arguably suggests a gate to the realm of immortals; it is a very treasured feature for Chinese scholar rocks.

Nicholas

Dear Mr. Chris Cochrane and Mr. Peter Brod,
Many thanks for your help. I'm very happy to learn more new things from you. I was really embarrassed by this stone. Mr.Chris Cochrane told me that it's a remote mountain crag and your advice about the wood seat. Mr. Peter Brod showed me the portrait of Nicholas ( Santa Claus). I hope both you will not feel annoyed when I bother you with many other stones.

Hello thientrkieu,

I like the chape of your stone,thanks for sharing & keep them coming.We learn from each other,Hope your doing ok,i love stone like crazy

Regards,
Alex

ogie wrote:Hello thientrkieu,

I like the chape of your stone,thanks for sharing & keep them coming.We learn from each other,Hope your doing ok,i love stone like crazy

Regards,
Alex

Dear Ogie,
Your encouragement makes me happy. In fact, we learn from each other a lot. Thank you.

Hi Trienthakieu... There is joy to be felt in sharing this stone and its wood seat. The stone is rare in its contour and displays well. The wood seat is well-carved and functional. You asked us about its "naming," which requires sharing our imagination. My thought sprung to landscapes, & Peter saw a figure (Santa Claus). It is wonderful to have a stone that is so evocative.

Hi alls

When It 'll soon be Xmas season, Peter's idea is also good . but I would prefer a landscape view.

Thanks for your sharing, Mr.Thien

Regards