Qen Bao Shi and Tree Roots

Qen - root,  Bao - hold/hug, Shi - stone

The tree root art is known to have been around for thousands of years in China.  The art has been practiced much like the way of bonsai and gongshi/suiseki - the idea of bringing the natural specimens inside your home and to contemplate them into every imagination, or to mimic the nature.  The tree roots are used as art collection, home display, furniture such as tree root tables or chairs/stools, practically anything.  They can also be displayed along with gongshi/suiseki, or bonsai, or even as contemporary arts.  Larger specimens can be displayed outdoor in the gardens or patios.

There are no particular kinds of trees that carry tree roots.  They can be any types of trees that grow in the mountains and rocky areas.  So far the best sources of such tree roots are known to be in the southwestern and southern parts of China.  All of the tree roots displayed on our web site are from the Guangxi province.

Most of the time, when found, the trees are already dead or have been cut down for different purposes.  Sometimes, because of the geological movement or natural happenstance, part of the tree roots may appear from the ground.  Since the tree root art has been around for thousands of years, in the right areas, with the right people who understand tree root art, the potential tree roots for art can be discovered.

Stone is of hard material.  Tree roots in their living time are of soft material.  Even though the roots are soft and fragile, they can slowly break through the stones after a long period of time.  Little by little over the years, the roots penetrate through or grow around the rocks.  As the roots grow larger, they shape around the rocks or even break through the rocks similarly to the way some of the roots penetrate through the cracks of the rocks.  And finally the tree roots "get hold on" (embrace or hug) to the rocks, thus the name of qen bao shi (roots holding rocks).

The idea of soft-and-hard (use soft to conquer hard), similarly to yin and yang, fascinates people.  In addition, it takes a long period of time to form such an amazing piece, making qen bao shi is more expensive than just fantastic stones or just tree roots (without stones).

When tree roots with stones are found, the first thing is to try to find out the best design for the roots, such as trying to make the figure of the roots for carving or images, or trying to figure out how to display the whole thing. Some big specimens are good for tables or display stands.

The stones found with tree roots are usually not polished.  The appearance of the stones is to be left as natural as possible.  A few cuts on the stones here and there are perhaps necessary for the digging out from the ground and trimming purpose.  Most of the time, the cuts of the stones are not to follow the designs, but more likely the designs are to be worked out with the conditions of both stones and roots as found.  That's why it takes longer, more labor, and more cost in the process.

The stones are usually from regular mountain rocks, no particular material or minerals.  However, people may find different types of stones in different locations.  Mostly the stones found with roots are just a mixture between limestone, sandstone, and minerals.

The tree roots that don't "hug" any stones are usually from cotton trees or cinnamon trees.  Cotton tree roots look like mushrooms, with wider forms and curly edges.  Cinnamon tree roots look like wire holding and going through each other.  They also come from camphor trees.