Junxian Stone Carvings

Junxian Stone Carvings

　　The stone carving and engraving industry in Junxian has a long history and has produced many renowned masters. Skilled artisans have participated in the construction of famous buildings and scenic spots such as the Ming Tombs in Beijing, the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing. The products include over 50 varieties such as memorial archways, lions, sheep, and steles, which are exported both domestically and internationally.

　　Junxian stone carvings are a traditional Han Chinese carving handicraft with a long history. It has a rich collection of relics, including Eastern Han Dynasty stone portraits, the Giant Stone Buddha from the Later Zhao period, the Thousand Buddha Cave from the Tang Dynasty, the Panlong Rock from the Song Dynasty, the Enrong Archway from the Ming Dynasty, and dozens of works from the Qing Dynasty. These pieces feature lifelike forms, distinct styles from different dynasties, unique characteristics, and high artistic value. Currently, stone carving artisans are skilled in crafting artworks such as stone figures, stone horses, stone sheep, and stone lions. The stone lions have a typical folk style and were once exhibited and well-received at the Canton Fair.

　　During the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, the spotted stone—a specialty of Junxian, Henan, the hometown of Duanmu Ci, the progenitor of Confucian merchants—was regarded as a rare stone by emperors and selected as tribute. It was extensively mined to serve as building material for imperial palaces and mausoleums. The history of stone carving and engraving in Junxian can be traced back 1,800 years and is considered the origin of stone carving and engraving art in the Central Plains region. The Later Zhao Giant Stone Buddha, the Northern Qi statue steles, the Thousand Buddha Temple from the Tang Dynasty, the Enrong Archway from the Ming Dynasty, historical steles and cliff inscriptions from various dynasties, as well as the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing and the Monument to the People's Heroes in the capital, all shine with the wisdom of the laboring people of Junxian and hold high historical and artistic value.

　　The history of stone carving and engraving in Junxian dates back to the Han Dynasty, flourished during the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, and is the birthplace of stone carving and engraving in northern Henan. Stone carving products from Tunzi Town in Junxian can be found in the Forbidden City in Beijing, Longting Pavilion in Kaifeng, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, the Great Hall of the People, the Monument to the People's Heroes, and the National Museum of Chinese History. In 1973, exquisite Han Dynasty stone portraits with finely carved patterns were unearthed west of Zhencun Village, serving as the best testament to Tunzi’s long-standing stone carving culture. In 1924, during the construction of the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing, over 50 artisans from Zhencun Village worked on carvings there for a whole year. The Outline of Nation Building at the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the marker stones for the sources of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, and the marker stone at the Tanggula Mountain Pass were also created by stone carving artisans from Zhencun. In 1958, master craftsmen from across the country gathered in Beijing to compete in marble carving at the East Suburb Marble Quarry. Their exceptional skills earned them great renown in the capital and even an audience with national leaders. In 2001, the "Twelve Zodiac Archway" project produced for Liuyang City in Hunan Province won the national Luban Prize and was patented by Liuyang City. In 2005, the Junxian Stone Carving City was named a "Henan Province Cultural Industry Demonstration Base" by the Henan Provincial Department of Culture.