Garden Rock

Confucius Family Mansion, Qufu

This garden rock from Lake Tai represents a substantial investment; these rocks, collected from the lake where they were shaped and formed by a variety of natural and artificial means, were prestige collectors' items. Standing alone in the outer courtyard, the rock would have testified to the wealth and taste of the Kong family, and perhaps would also be seen as a giant scholar's rock, representing the legacy of Confucius, the greatest scholar of all.