"The Hundred Beauties of Cathay", a giant sized screen, inlaid with over 100 gemstones takes the five thousand year cultural history of China as its backdrop, and takes as its subject one hundred outstanding women as representative figure of China's vast history. These figures figures include Empresses, Consorts, Princesses, heroines, famous beauties, peasant girls, artists and characters from mythology (For the story behind each figure, please refer to the index of characters).Some of these women lived a palace life hidden behind silken curtains, while some danced and sang to bewitch their world, others were married to far-off potentates, whilst others took their fathers part fighting in wars. Each face tells a heart-rending story. All the famous beauties of Chinese history parade before one's eyes. At the fop of the screen are one hundred poems by historic exemplars of the art, while at the bottom are delineated one hundred ancient literary artifacts. The middel section of the reverse of the screen takes one hundred birds and flowers as its theme, and is called "One hundred flowers blossom at once". The upper part shows one hundred pictures on the "grass and insect" theme, while the lower section comprises one hundred four line poems on the theme of birds and flowers, by ancient masters.

"The Hundred Beauties of Cathay" comprises one hundred carved mahogany screen surrounds, and has a total length of 12m, and a height of 2.23m. Each leaf of the screen is divided at front and back into an upper, middle and lower section, and takes the woman on the centeal facing section as its theme. The screen is organized according the the dynasty in which the woman lived, and retells the most famous story relating to each character. The design of the calligraphy was over-seen by Mr. Lin Jiajun and Mr. Chen Yingqin. Work on the overall design concept began in 1983, and actual work began in 1986. The final assembly began at Yuanshi Garden in Suzhou, in 1996, and was finally completed in July 1997. The materials selected for the work involve one hundred precious items from all over China including jade, lapis lazuli, agate, coral, mica, abalone, pearls, gold, silver wire, ivory, mahogany, Qingtian stone, Shoushan stone, Changhua stone, Balin stone. The women and background objects on the screen were created by artists and renowned craftsmen from Qingtian, Fuzhou, Wenzhou, and Hangzhou, Whilst master craftsmen from Suzhou and Changshu carried out the carving of the mahogany frame for the screen. The seals for the one hundred women were engraved by the Hangzhou Xiling Yinshe. The hundred bird and flower, and grass and insect designs on the reverse of the screen, along with their accompanying poems were completed by renowned lacquer artists from Yangzhou and Jiangdu. The finest workmanship has been employed in working and polishing the lacquer work, which is meticulously carved and inlaid. It is then buffed graining and polishing. The entire screen is the fruit of joint efforts by over one hundred leading craftsmen, artists, poets and engravers from every area of China. It employs eight of the major traditional arts of China, jade carving, wood carving, shell carving, stone carving, ivory carving lacquer working, engraving and drawing to create one integrated work of art. The approach to the whole project has been rigorously planned and deeply thought out. It is based on creating an anthology of Chinese history, using a highly respectful design, and unique craftsmandship to complete the work. The work manages to harmonize figures, buildings, Landscape, ancient artifacts the bird and flower and grass and insect gears, poetry and engraving within one artistically unified whole, with each part coplementing and enhancing the others. Its theme is grand, and its spirit vast and noble. All manner of natural precious stones have been used in the work, and have been rigorously selected according to the colour and tones needed for the clothes or adornments worn by the women, before being exactingly inlaid. The inlay work complements and accords with the style and spirit of the artwork, and faithfully reflects the dynasty and social rank of the women seems frozen in a living moment, allowing the viewer the appreciate her grace and charm. In 1997, this giant sized inlaid screen known as "The hundred beauties of Cathay", received a certificate from Shanghai headquarters of the Guinness Book of Records Organization confirming the screen as a "Guimmess World Record". In the following year, 1998, it was appraised and certified as an "Artistic Treasure of Traditional Chinese Craftsmanship". The work vividly illuminates the 5,000 year culture of China, and demonstrates the elegant appearance of Chinese women throughout history. It incorporates exquisite examples of ancient and modern poetry, clligraphy, painting and engraving, and assembles one hundred kinds of precious materials, sought after throughout history, into one elegant work. It was produced through the painstaking efforts and labour of one hundred contemporary master craftmen. Today, as the whole world is looking to wards the artistic glories of the East, it acts as a world wonder of artistic achievement, a living hundred panel scroll of the 5,000 years history of China.

China Suzhou Garden of Relations With Stone