Laibin Odd Stones

Laibin Odd Stones

　　Laibin is rich in odd stones and is known as the “Hometown of Odd Stones.”

　　The majority of Laibin's odd stones come from the Hongshui River section within Laibin. The Hongshui River runs eastward through Xingbin District from west to east, passing through 11 towns (accounting for half of the total towns in Xingbin District) along a stretch of 162 kilometers. The riverbanks are karst areas, with various rock fragments deposited in the riverbed. The Hongshui River section in Laibin features narrow riverbeds, many bends, dangerous shoals, significant water level drops, fast currents, and abundant sand. These conditions continuously transport, tumble, strike, and erode the rock fragments in the riverbed, thus creating a wide variety of odd stones. According to geological experts, the original rocks of Laibin odd stones date back over 250 to 300 million years. This shows that Laibin odd stones carry the remarkable craftsmanship of nature spanning two to three hundred million years.

　　As natural artworks, Laibin odd stones can be categorized into four main types: landscape, pictographic, abstract, and patterned. Commonly referred types among locals include colored glaze stones, ink stones, stone gallstones, vein stones, rolled stones, mottled stones, patterned stones, pebbles, and traditional Chinese painting stones.

　　Laibin odd stones meet both traditional appreciation criteria—thin, wrinkled, leaky, perforated, and ugly—as well as modern standards focusing on quality, shape, pattern, color, and charm, making them highly favored. Since the early 1990s, domestic and international stone enthusiasts and experts have visited Laibin year-round, giving full expression to the ornamental, collectible, and economic value of Laibin stones. Laibin odd stones have participated in multiple provincial, national, and international stone exhibitions, earning various honors.

　　After the establishment of Laibin as a prefecture-level city, the odd stones produced in its subordinate counties and cities such as Heshan, Xincheng, Wuxuan, and Xiangzhou have further enriched the diversity of Laibin odd stones.

　　Under the prestige of being the “Hometown of Odd Stones,” the people of Laibin are striving diligently to pioneer a new realm for Laibin odd stones.