ESA

      

In Japanese, a suiseki literally means: one stone (seki)of water (sui), that is to say, one stone, usually small, exposed on a tray with water.
        
        Like the bonsai, the Art of Suiseki was  originated in China, where since ancient times there is a tradition of  placing stones on a special beauty, on some kind of pedestal, trying to  evoke islands, mountains, landscapes, etc.. generally associated with  religious myths East (Buddhism, Taoism, etc.)..
        
        The suiseki as we know at present, through Japan, is only the  adaptation of these Chinese traditions to the Japanese customs and  practices.

    

        

“Suiseki  are stones which had been formed only by nature.  Thy are collected and  treasured for their original beauty and their  power to suggest natural  sceneries such as miniature landscape, for  instance small mountains, or objects  related to nature.

As early as  2000 years ago, such stones were already  collected and appreciated by  high ranking officials and artists in ancient  China and displayed  together with calligraphies and pictures.

Since the 6th  century A.D. ,  this trend spread from China to Korea and Japan where it was  developed  in  a different way.

Nowadays  this art form enjoys under different  names popularity all over the world, but  mainly in east-Asian  countries.” (Willy Benz)