He may see an image of the universe, enjoy a moment of Zen enlightenment or be inspired to a philosophy. The sculptor Yang Ying-feng relates that seeing the world in a small rock can be a very moving experience.
曾正冠拜石的老前輩米芾，他論石有三原則：「曰瘦、曰縐、曰透」，此後，又有人加上「秀」，遂成後世鑑石原則。