Ink Crystal Stone Carvings

Ink Crystal Stone Carvings

　　　Ink Crystal Stone Carvings are a specialty of Hunan Province. The ink crystal stone is produced in the areas around Dongkou and Xinhua counties. The stone is fine-grained, pitch-black and shiny, earning it the name "ink jade." The carved products appear solemn, rustic, dignified, and elegant. The designs combine realism with exaggeration, and the carving techniques are flexible and varied. As a result, the works resemble the delicate translucence of jade carvings while retaining the bold ruggedness of stone carvings, making them truly unique. There is a wide variety of products, including figurines, beasts, flowers, birds, landscapes for appreciation, stationery that combines utility and aesthetics, imitation antique vessels, and various small toys.

　　 　　Dongkou Ink Crystal Stone Carvings originated from folk traditions and reached their peak during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. There were once as many as 8 major categories and over 1,200 varieties, including animals, figures, antique-style vessels, and stationery. In the early 1950s, a state-owned craft factory was established, which became a pillar industry of the local economy. Most of its main craft products were exported to Europe, America, and Southeast Asia. They were showcased at the Canton Fair and sold to 38 countries and regions including Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Canada, and Hong Kong. Carving works such as "The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea," "Stone Lion," and "Sun Wukong Fighting the White Bone Demon" have won multiple domestic awards. Some artistic pieces have been collected by the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and the National Museum of China, among which "Eight Views of Xiaoxiang" is displayed in the Hunan Hall of the Great Hall of the People.