Knowing Stones, One by One: The Stones Know Their People

Twelve years ago, a landslide at the foot of Jinshan in Shandong scattered the inkstone workshop. Lu Shouyan, the master carver, crawled out of the earth, but his wife, Su Wanzhen, had vanished. He kept watch over Laoya Slope, lighting a lamp every autumn. Beneath that lamp lay words he could never bring himself to say. Twelve years later, a woman with amnesia wakes in a Qingzhou herbalist's shop. She has forgotten everything else, but her hands remember making inkstones all her life. A young woman raised by an old physician carries a broken stone in her arms. Three fragments of a stone lie in the homes of three different families. The stones don't speak. But hands remember, feet remember, and a bowl of hot soup remembers. A piece of stone that has been gone for twelve years returns to its rightful place. An inkstone finally finds someone to grind it. A lamp on the slope shines as those who were scattered make their way back, step by step, recognizing the stones, the craft, and their kin. The scent of herbs mingles with the scent of ink. Two crafts and two families come together beneath Jinshan, around one hearth. (All 81 chapters are complete, so read with confidence.)

Theme: Recognize the stone, understand the inkstone, and appreciate the history of classic industries (the Four Treasures of the Study, arts and crafts, and traditional Chinese medicine), intangible cultural heritage, inheritance and innovation. Promote China's outstanding traditional culture and strengthen cultural confidence.