Qingjiang Odd Stones

Qingjiang Odd Stones

　　 Qingjiang Odd Stones are formed in the 800-li stretch of the Qingjiang River. The Qingjiang River, anciently known as “Yi River,” was documented by the renowned geographer Li Daoyuan of the Northern Wei Dynasty in Volume 37, “Yi River,” of his work Commentary on the Water Classic: “The Yi River... flows through rocky mountains with almost no earthen banks. Its waters are clear and reflective; fish swimming beneath seem to float in midair, and the shallows are strewn with multicolored stones... Those who ride the tumbling waves grow unaware of fatigue and forget to return.”

　　 According to research by Professor Liu Shifan, editor-in-chief of Fossils and an expert from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in his article “Where Lies the Source of the Mighty Yangtze?”, the Qingjiang River originated in the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era, approximately 170–180 million years ago. As shown in the diagram “Changes in Obliquity of the Ecliptic During Two Major Geological Eras” by Professor Xu Qinqi of Peking University, this period coincided with the second major geological macro-year, during which water flowed westward. Around 30 million years ago, during the Oligocene epoch of the Tertiary period of the Cenozoic era, a major orogenic movement caused the Qingjiang River to reverse its course from west to east, where it flows to this day. The remnants of the Wuling Mountain range traverse the ancient “Changyang.” Over the entire 800-li basin, the riverbed has been eroded through the Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary periods, including the Paleocene and Eocene epochs, and further shaped by the Quaternary period. This process fused all mineral substances and organisms resulting from the fission of the Archean and Proterozoic Sinian systems, as well as the Paleozoic Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian systems. Through intense crustal movements, seasonal erosion by wind and rain, relentless wave impacts, and mutual abrasion between stones, large rocks were broken into smaller ones, angular edges smoothed into curves, and rough textures refined into fine details. These stones tumbled from towering mountains into deep valleys, and were carried from upstream to downstream. The combined internal geological forces of the Qingjiang River and external forces such as wind, rain, glaciers, and temperature fluctuations—like a kaleidoscope in motion—gradually sculpted the mountain rocks into uniquely shaped and vibrantly colored odd stone masterpieces.

　　 Such uniquely favorable formation conditions have endowed Qingjiang Stones with exceptional artistic quality and value. Across the 800-li Qingjiang basin, whether it’s the rugged landscape stones honed and carved by flowing water over millions of years in the deep mountains, or the river stones repeatedly polished and refined in the currents, their shapes, colors, patterns, and textures all exhibit a naturally exquisite beauty that seems beyond human craftsmanship. In terms of color, they are now categorized into Qingjiang Red, Qingjiang Green, Qingjiang Ink, Qingjiang Multicolor, and Qingjiang Milky. In terms of texture, they include igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks forming veined stones, crystal stones, and various fossils. The unique aesthetic appeal of Qingjiang Odd Stones has won the hearts of stone appreciation enthusiasts, carving out a distinctive place among Chinese stones. They have become a formidable presence among “Three Gorges Odd Stones,” not only circulating domestically but also gaining international recognition in Southeast Asia and parts of Europe and America, earning numerous international awards. At China’s 1st to 5th National Stone Appreciation Exhibitions, they won 5 gold, 19 silver, and 22 bronze medals, ranking 3rd among 99 participating groups. Among them, “Spring in the Desert” collected by former county advisor Liu Guangrong, “Sparse Plum Casting Shadows” by former CPPCC chairman Li Dao huai, “Sunset at Huangshan” by Zhang Zuwu, vice president of the county stone appreciation association, and “Flocks of Sandpipers” by Qin Shiben, secretary-general of the association, all won gold awards. Additionally, Li Dao huai’s “Dengbo’er in the Sunshine,” “Golden Sands and Splashing Waters,” and “Companions” won gold, silver, and bronze awards respectively at the National Invitational Stone Exhibition in Shandong and the 5th China Flower Expo in Guangzhou. Qin Shiben’s Changyang Qingjiang turtle-patterned stone “Exquisite Branches and Glorious Rocks” won first prize at the Sino-Korean International Stone Trade Expo held jointly in Luoyang.

　　 Since the 1990s, driven by a group of veteran enthusiasts keen on studying stone culture, a fervent stone appreciation culture has flourished in Changyang, gradually fostering an environment for collecting and developing Qingjiang Odd Stones. As early as 1995, a group of Changyang cultural figures including Gong Fada initiated the establishment of the Changyang Odd Stone Association. To date, the organization has grown increasingly robust, with its membership expanding to over 160 members. With the association’s promotion, many stone enthusiasts took to the mountains and rivers, collecting a large number of high-quality Qingjiang Stones. This effort later inspired thousands of farmers and hundreds of urban residents to join in rescuing these stone resources, sparking a widespread trend of discovering, collecting, organizing, displaying, and exchanging Qingjiang Odd Stones. First, the Stone Appreciation Art Association successfully hosted six stone exhibitions, complete with evaluations and organized study trips. Second, over a hundred individuals turned their home collections into private museums. Third, the large-scale pictorial album “Qingjiang Stones” was compiled and published, receiving acclaim from Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and various provinces. Experts were also organized to write various theses for theoretical research on stone appreciation. Fourth, extensive promotion of Qingjiang stone appreciation culture significantly boosted its international and domestic visibility. Following the surge in Three Gorges stone enthusiasm, a large number of experts made Changyang Qingjiang their base for stone hunting. Tens of thousands of collectors from Yichang, Wuhan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Shandong, Henan, Korea, Taiwan, the Northeast, and Shanghai have visited Changyang in search of Qingjiang Odd Stones. It can be said that Qingjiang stone culture has greatly enriched Bayu (local ethnic) culture and fulfilled people’s spiritual needs. Together with root carving and potted plants, Qingjiang Odd Stones have become the “New Three Treasures” of Changyang’s ethnic culture.

　　 Seizing this opportunity, a number of specialized stone households and villages have quietly emerged within the county, gradually forming a cultural industry chain integrating stone collection, processing, appreciation, collection, and trade—a unique path combining culture and economy. The county now has tens of thousands of people engaged in stone collection and appreciation, with an estimated value of 20 million yuan. The largest traded stone slab weighs 15 tons, and the highest price for a single piece reached 200,000 yuan. There have been 10,000 transactions, amounting to over 5 million yuan in trade volume. These stones have been exported to countries such as Korea, the United States, Germany, and various parts of Southeast Asia, as well as regions like Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The county currently has six specialized stone collection villages (Dukouping Village, Xishiping Village, Baishiping Village, Yongheping Village, Jinyangkou Village in Longzhouping Town, and Zhaolaihe Village in Yuxiakou Town), with over 2,000 people involved in stone collection, including more than 100 specialized stone industry households. In Dukouping Village, nearly every household collects stones, with an average annual income of 30,000 yuan per household. The leader, Yang Yuanshou, earns around 300,000 yuan annually from stone collection. The rapid rise of Qingjiang Odd Stones has undoubtedly strengthened the local cultural industry and significantly boosted regional economic development.

　　 To further develop and expand Changyang’s cultural industry and establish the emerging “New Three Treasures” as leading cultural products, in October 2002, the county Party committee and government built the Qingjiang Odd Stone Garden—an integrated cultural tourism project combining stone, root art, and potted plant trading with leisure and sightseeing. Located at the northern entrance of the county town, the garden enjoys convenient transportation and a prime location. Covering an area of 21,000 square meters, it features a bonsai garden, a root art corridor, and a stone trading center, with comprehensive functions and complete facilities. The architectural design within the garden is natural and tasteful, offering a serene and elegant environment—making it an ideal destination for visitors to engage their minds, find joy, relax, explore, and shop.

　　 Qingjiang Odd Stones originate from nature—majestic mountains and great rivers offer an inexhaustible supply. Stone culture is a culture of “discovering beauty and appreciating beauty,” and its resources will never run dry. With societal progress, the growing spiritual and cultural needs of people, and the continuous enrichment and evolution of aesthetic tastes, the stone culture industry will showcase promising socio-economic benefits and vast development potential, thanks to its timeless charm.

　　Three Gorges Changyang Website