Suide Stone Carvings

Suide Stone Carvings

　　On the traditional land of Yulin, there is an abundance of soil, sand, and stones. The abundance of soil gave rise to earthen cave dwellings; the abundance of sand formed vast deserts; and the abundance of stones nurtured the art of stone carving.

　　The hometown of stone carving in Yulin is Suide. Through the dynasties of Qin, Han, Tang, and Song, by the Ming and Qing periods, the ancient city of Suide was left with even more countless cultural landscapes, cliff inscriptions, and widely circulated folk stone carving artworks. Such as the ruins of the “Crown Prince’s Mansion” where Fu Su, supervised the army during the Qin Dynasty, resided in Suide, the ruins of the “Moon Appreciation Platform,” and the scenic site of Wuying Spring formed where Fu Su tragically died two li south of the city in Lujiawan, along with Fu Su’s Tomb and Fu Su’s Temple atop Shushu Mountain; cliff inscriptions such as “Jinxi Cave,” “Dragon Cave Clear Stream,” and “Famous Prefecture Under Heaven”; as well as the stone lions on the kang (heated bed) used by local families to protect their children, and the Eastern Han Dynasty pictorial stones unearthed from ancient tombs—all these are ample proof that the art of stone carving has a long history and has been passed down through generations.

　　The hardworking and intelligent people of Suide, with their uniquely superior natural mountain stone resources and exquisite craftsmanship, have created both the past and present of stone culture, and have opened up new realms for the craft of stone carving. An army of thousands or even tens of thousands of stonemasons has crafted magnificent buildings and dazzlingly colorful stone artworks for urban and rural construction both within and outside the province. Moreover, the stone lions carved by Suide artisans have crossed oceans and been exported to countries and regions such as Japan, the United States, and Southeast Asia. As a result, Suide has earned titles such as “Hometown of Stone Lions” and “Kingdom of Stone Lions.”

　　Suide stone lions are a symbol of the culture and economy of this yellow-earth land. “Lion” culture is arguably the most splendid and important part of the cultural treasury of Mingzhou. Whether it is the majestic and towering stone lions placed on temple altars and high mountains to guard the land, or the small stone lions treasured on the kang to ward off evil and bring good fortune—each earns praise from people and acclaim from experts with their distinct personality traits, unique design concepts, bold exaggeration, the combination of fine and rough techniques, and naturally simple and unadorned carving skills. The carving of Suide stone lions is natural and unrestrained, unconstrained by rules, with vivid expressions and delightful charm. Some are innocent and playful, like mischievous children; some are honest and simple, like farmers from northern Shaanxi; some are serene and gentle, like affectionate mothers; others are strong and dignified, like warriors. A Beijing critic remarked: “Suide stone lions possess the aura of master craftsmanship. They express the most lovable and vivid charm of life, representing a true tradition of freehand artistry and pure ethnic characteristics.” On this poor, arid, and ecologically harsh yellow-earth land, the stone carving art created by the people of Suide, which originates from the roots of Chinese national art, embodies the true tradition of freehand brushwork and pure ethnic features. It fully reflects the profound and simple temperament of the Loess Plateau, exuding a rich earthy fragrance. In terms of creative methods, they are bold, unrestrained, rough, vigorous, and grand in scale, utilizing techniques such as round carving, relief carving, openwork, incised carving, relief engraving, and line engraving—all combined. Within line engraving, the flexible interplay of negative and positive lines is remarkable. Truly, spirit can be infused into stone, and stone can convey spirit. The two-faced stone lions among the Suide kang lions are absolutely in the style of Cubism—something Picasso spent his life exploring, yet it can be seen everywhere among the folk art of Suide. Suide truly deserves its reputation as the “Hometown of Stone Carving”!

　　The styles of society and life are magnified or minimized in the stone carving art of the men of Suide. Their exquisite craftsmanship and traditional classical aesthetic tastes are fully displayed and expressed in the following architectural works.

　　Thousand-Lion Bridge—The Thousand-Lion Bridge spans the north and south banks of the Wuding River and is named for the 1,008 uniquely expressive stone lions of varying sizes standing on both sides of the bridge. It is a corridor of stone carving art in Yulin and also a symbol of Suide, the “Famous Prefecture Under Heaven.”

　　The World’s No. 1 Stone Archway—The World’s No. 1 Stone Archway stands at the southern end of National Highway 210 as it enters Suide County. It is the largest stone archway structure in China, and its carving craftsmanship leaves both Chinese and foreign visitors in awe.

　　Yongle Avenue Stone Carving Corridor—The Yongle Avenue Stone Carving Corridor is a stone carving scroll stretching along the 1,680-meter-long Yongle Avenue, showcasing the simple folk customs, culture, and historical relics of the yellow-earth land. Classics from Yulin’s Xintianyou folk songs also come vividly to life here. As one viewer remarked: “Walk along Yongle Avenue, and you will understand Loess culture.”

　　Forty-Li Pu Stone Carving Cluster—Located on National Highway 210, Forty-Li Pu is lined with thriving stone carving workshops on both sides of the road. The ground displays dragon pillars, crouching stone tigers, standing stone figures, and stone Buddhas. Among them, the most common and largest are the stone lions. The stone lions here are renowned both domestically and internationally.

　　Suide stone carving art is an expression of the emotions of the “men of Suide” and a form of art for Suide men. It embodies the simple, straightforward, and tenacious spirit of the “men of Suide”; it also symbolizes the tall, majestic, and rugged temperament of Suide men; and it further reflects the heroic, indomitable, heaven-defying, and progressive spirit of the men of Suide. Therefore, from ancient times to the present, the stone carving artisans of Suide have used bright and concise knife techniques, bold and unrestrained imagination, and natural and skilled carving skills to carve out the colorful emotional world of the men of Suide. Whether it is the craftsmanship of carved figures, landscapes, flowers, birds, animals, or large structures such as stone lions, dragon pillars, or stone archways; whether it is the Eastern Han Dynasty pictorial stones unearthed from underground or the stone lions treasured on the kang and passed down through generations in local homes—all have developed traditional stone carving techniques, inheriting and recreating new meanings in stone carving.

　　Suide stone carving art, using a combination of realistic and romantic artistic techniques, boldly pioneers and innovates with symbolic, implicit, and profoundly meaningful strokes, as well as simple and rugged brushwork, finely detailed carving techniques, and a grand and majestic momentum, drawing worldwide attention. Its artistic and academic value is very high, offering significant insights for the study of humanities, folklore, history, ethnology, Eastern aesthetics, and even global aesthetics.