Figurative stones, as the name implies, are lifelike and can almost reach the point of confusion. Strictly speaking, the figurative stone must meet the following conditions: (1) The overall image is good, and there is no unnecessary burden, but there is no shortage of meat and bones; (2) The main parts are cold. Strange stones like monkeys should have realistic facial contours; (3) The thickness is moderate. In addition to the above conditions, monkey stone can be regarded as the best stone if it has eyes and limbs and its body drive is obvious, orderly and energetic. Symbolic stones are easier to distinguish, which is why they are more difficult to find and hide.
The biggest difference with concrete stone is abstract stone. Abstraction can be divided into two categories: geometric form and free form. American sculptor Moore's works are mostly geometric abstractions; China's calligraphy seal cutting and garden art rocks belong to free abstraction. As for abstraction, Ci Hai explains it this way: it refers to relatively independent aspects, attributes, relationships, etc. Extract from concrete things. (89 Chinese, page 1788, Shanghai Cihai Publishing House) In this regard, can we understand that abstraction is a new object with more connotation formed by transforming and exaggerating a part of an object and adding subjective will? From this point of view, abstract stone can not be simply explained as "similar but not similar" stone. Abstract stone is a kind of strange stone with more philosophical color and artistic conception, and its pure value is unfathomable. The lines of abstract stone are more concise than concrete stone, which embodies infinite space and strength. You can have different feelings because of the age, knowledge, accomplishment and quality of the audience. In short, abstract stones can better reflect the standards of collectors and viewers.
Image stone is between concrete stone and abstract stone. It means "born of feeling things", including artistic imagination, (89 th edition, Ci Hai. Shanghai Dictionary Publishing House, p. 5330) This is what most stone-hiding people say: "Like but not like". The so-called "elephant is not like" is because it is a bit like, or partly like or feels like the whole. In addition, coupled with the imagination of the viewer, the image stone has a broader imagination space. Due to the difference of comprehensive quality, there are often different evaluations of the same strange stone.
Someone once joked that there are many people who know concrete stones, but few people who know them;
There are many people who know the elephant stone, and there are many people who get it;
Few people know abstract stones, and even fewer people get them;
This statement is quite philosophical, and it is worth pondering by the stone-hiding people.
Of course, there is no conclusion on how to classify strange stones. It can be said that different people have different opinions. Because of this, people of insight in the field of Tibetan stones should express their opinions and make the classification of strange stones more perfect in theory.