Nanjing Rain Flower Stones

Nanjing Rain Flower Stones

　　Nanjing Rain Flower Stones are mainly found in areas such as Yuhuatai and Juhuatai. According to research, high-quality Rain Flower Stones are a type of agate.

　　Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties, the eminent monk Master Yunguang preached on Shizigang, moving the heavens so much that flowers rained from the sky. When these floral rains touched the ground, they transformed into countless pebble-like stones, some as large as chicken eggs and others as small as broad beans, all vibrant and colorful. The stones were thus named Rain Flower Stones, and Shizigang was renamed Yuhuatai.

　　The Rain Flower Stones produced at Yuhuatai are various types of pebbles polished round by the action of water flow. Their main components are hard rocks such as quartz sandstone, quartzite, siliceous rock, and igneous rock, as well as minerals like quartz, chalcedony, and opal. The former generally lack bright colors and luster, while the latter—quartz, chalcedony, and similar minerals—are chemically composed of silicon dioxide. Common colors include white, milky white, light yellow, as well as red, purple, green, rose, and black. There is also a type of agate composed of differently colored stripes arranged concentrically, in rings, or in spots.

　　Some rare and exquisite Rain Flower Stones are incredibly beautiful, with their semi-translucent bodies appearing to depict landscapes, clouds, flowers, birds, fish, insects, ghosts, immortals, and even figures resembling Zhu Bajie and Sun Wukong, earning high praise from people.

　　People often “raise” Rain Flower Stones in water basins, displaying them on desks as ornamental objects. Folk artisans in Nanjing also carve Rain Flower Stones into various artworks, blending natural beauty with human craftsmanship.