The fashion for collecting fantastic rocks began in the 11th century. Here in his inscription the artist Pu Ru (literary name: Pu Xinyu, 1896-1963) made a specific reference to the source of his inspiration, a eulogy written by Mi Wanzhong (1570-1628), a leading rock connoisseur and painter living in the late Ming Dynasty. Pu Ru was a member of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, the ruling house of the Qing Dynasty, and a cousin of the last emperor Pu Yi (1906-1967). He is considered one of last literati artists in the twentieth century who mastere classical poetry, calligraphy and painting. He lived and worked in Beijing before he moved to Taiwan in 1949. He died of cancer in Taipei at age sixty-eight.