Rock -- Illustration from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual of Calligraphy and Painting (Shizhuzhai shuhua pu) before 1703

Editor: This illustration, "Rock" by Hu Zhengyan, is an intriguing image from the Ten Bamboo Studio Manual. Its starkness feels almost modern. What's your interpretation of its symbolism? Curator: Well, think about rocks and what they symbolize across cultures: endurance, stability, the eternal. In Chinese gardens, scholar's rocks like this one were collected and displayed. Editor: Displayed? So, this isn't just a rock, but an object loaded with meaning? Curator: Precisely. It’s about appreciating the natural world and seeing larger symbolic meanings in miniature forms. Does that shift your perspective? Editor: Definitely. It connects the image to a deeper history of cultural values. Curator: Indeed, images are never truly silent.