Jingyang Chrysanthemum Stone

Jingyang Chrysanthemum Stone

　　The "flowers" of chrysanthemum stone were formed naturally within rocks millions of years ago due to geological movements, and can be described as having "absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, and the spirit of heaven and earth." Their shapes closely resemble the vibrant layers of autumn chrysanthemums—creamy white in color, with clear, well-defined patterns and lifelike, jade-like translucence. The area around Yinjia Village in Jingyang Town, Jianshi County, is rich in chrysanthemum stone deposits.

　　Chrysanthemum stone is hard in texture, with an outer appearance of bluish-gray, and contains naturally formed white chrysanthemum-shaped crystals that closely resemble flowers found in nature. The "chrysanthemum" part consists of a "flower center" made up of crystalline mineral aggregates, while the "petals" are formed by tightly packed or intermittently connected rhombohedral crystal formations. The mineral composition varies depending on the type, with chrysanthemum stones from Liuyang, Hunan, primarily composed of calcite and chalcedony (quartz), some containing strontianite and celestine. Another variety, the red andalusite chrysanthemum stone from Beijing's Western Hills, is found within andalusite rock, where the rock base is black and densely scattered with grayish-white radial andalusite aggregates forming chrysanthemum-like shapes, each petal being an individual andalusite crystal. Its primary mineral component is andalusite. Testing has shown that chrysanthemum stones contain no radioactive elements but have relatively high levels of selenium, strontium, iron, and calcium.

　　Beautiful Legends

　　Legend has it that in ancient times, the heavenly deity Huxi and the fairy Xuan fell in love with the human world. They scattered chrysanthemums along the Liuyang River, and those that landed on the riverbed settled at the bottom and, over time, transformed into what we now know as chrysanthemum stone. Another tale tells of two star-crossed lovers, Shijian and Chrysanthemum, who were devoted to each other and refused to be separated, even in death, eventually turning into chrysanthemum stones. These are just beautiful legends. According to archaeological findings, around 200 million years ago, the homeland of chrysanthemum stones was still an ocean. Later, due to tectonic shifts, the Liuyang region of Hunan entered a period of marine regression. Seawater accumulated in low-lying areas on the surface and continuously evaporated. When the concentration of strontium sulfate in the seawater reached a certain level, crystals began to form and gradually adhered to flint cores. These crystals also settled with the muddy sediments in the water, dispersing within marl layers. After 200 million years of transformation, today’s chrysanthemum stones were ultimately formed.