Page 15 - BSAM 2015 Q4

Ying stones. is stop did not disappoint us. We saw many very nice small- to medium-size Ying stones. One shop specialized in smaller Ying stones, some only 2 to 5 cm (about 1 to 2 inches) high. A set of these tiny stones was displayed at the convention site in Guangzhou. ese miniature stones attracted con- siderable attention.
A er visiting several shops and having lunch, host- ed by the mayor of Zhenyang, we boarded our bus and departed for a short trip to the Zhenyangfang Tour- ist Wharf where we took a large ship for a pleasant scenic cruise of the Zhenyang Gorge. is gave us an opportunity to rest while observing large limestone rock formations that yields the famous Ying stones. en, we proceeded to the Ren Xin Hotel in Yingde City for the evening.
e next morning, we travelled by bus to the Yingde Stone Garden and Galleries outside the city. Here, we enjoyed a large outdoor exhibit of hundreds of large Ying stones. A walk along a circular path took us to a huge building still under renovation. This facil- ity houses the owner’s extensive collection of indoor viewing stones. A walk back to the entrance provid- ed us with the opportunity to shop in several well- stocked stone galleries. Sadly, the beautiful large Ying stones are too heavy and too fragile to buy and try to take back to our respective countries. However, small- er stones proved to be irresistible. e owner of the Yingde Stone Garden provided lunch for our group. During lunch, he was showing us one of his prized Qing Dynasty Ying stones in his personal collection.
A er lunch, we travelled by bus back to Guangzhou in time to prepare for the closing banquet. is was the time to give out our BCI awards and to begin the process of saying farewell to so many friends that had travel far to come to our convention. It is always pleas- ant to see old bonsai and stone friends and to meet new ones. Another great BCI convention and exhibi- tion came to a close.
This page; Yingde Stone Garden and Galleries outside Yingde city where the group enjoyed a large outdoor exhibit of hundreds of large Ying stones.
October/November/December 2015 | BCI | 13