Beauty set in stone

Chinese stone-carving artists believe that behind a stone's cold and tough surface is a living spirit. Visitors to the exhibition of exquisite Shoushan stone carvings at the Palace Museum will be inclined to agree.

The work Tyrant of Winter by master artist Lin Hengyun, shows several polar bears frolicking on the snow-covered ground. The fine and smooth texture of the white stone which is slightly transparent, looks like solidified butter. The stone's natural veins are used by the artist to highlight the body features of the bears.

Other must-see works on display include Wang Zuguang's Smiling Buddha, Pan Jingshi's White Tiger and Zhang Shouqiang's Yellow Chrysanthemum.