In the northern suburbs of Fuzhou, a city rich in natural and cultural landscapes, there is an ancient village named Shoushan in Jin’an District.
Shoushan stone, a national treasure of China, is hidden among the hills and streams surrounding Shoushan Village. It is one of the four traditional seal stones of China, one of the three art treasures of Fuzhou, and a unique and precious colored stone in China.
Shoushan is located at longitude 119°E and latitude 26°N, close to the mysterious latitude 30°N. With an average altitude of 680 meters, it is surrounded by mountains and abundant with water and vegetation, exuding a strong rustic charm. Bamboo groves can be seen everywhere, swaying gently in the breeze, their pure green hue lending a romantic base color, dotted with tender bamboo shoots emerging from the soil. Shoushan is a natural oxygen bar that houses a treasury of stones!
The scientific formation of Shoushan stone is a manifestation of violent aesthetics. Approximately 140 million years ago, intense crustal movements occurred in ancient Shoushan, slowly transforming the mineral-rich fluids from volcanic eruptions into unique gemstones known only to this region. In mineralogy, Shoushan stone is known as pyrophyllite, which is an aluminum silicate mineral with smooth texture, colorful appearance, and gem-like luster. Shoushan stone is formed by nature. When we arrive at the first stop of the Shoushan stone cultural pilgrimage, the China Shoushan Stone Museum, who would associate this simple pastoral scenery with the national treasure? The China Shoushan Stone Museum is the only official museum dedicated to Shoushan stone in China and has become a modern museum with strong local characteristics. It has also become a new ideological learning and educational practice base for the museum.
Shoushan stones are categorized into three main types: field pit stones (from paddy fields), water pit stones (from streams and caves), and mountain pit stones (from verdant mountains). Having warm and endearing texture, field stones are hailed as the “king of stones.”
Shoushan stone originated in the Six Dynasties, gained fame in the Song Dynasty, flourished in the Ming Dynasty, and reached its peak in the Qing Dynasty. With its unique connotation, Shoushan stone is a combination of natural and artistic beauty, forming the “Shoushan stone culture.” As a traditional folk carving art of Fuzhou, Shoushan stone carvings have evolved from the ethereal and naturally beautiful Shoushan stone to encompass culture, spirit, morality, and other fields, combining traditional Chinese culture with contemporary culture to develop into a Chinese civilization acclaimed worldwide.
Shoushan stone carvings employ the techniques of using knives like brushes to achieve a balance between hardness and softness, showing graceful and smooth contours and epitomizing the harmony between nature and craftsmanship. In the Ming Dynasty, Tianhuang stone, a type of Shoushan stone, was officially designated for use in imperial seals. Due to its auspicious connotations of “Fu (Zhou), Shou (Shan), and Tian (Huang),” Tianhuang stone was favored by Emperor Qianlong. Among many Tianhuang seals he owned, there is a triplet seal composed of three Tianhuang stone seals connected by three stone chains, forming a perfect and dignified stone artwork that was truly breathtaking!
The countryside breeze carries fresh negative oxygen ions, making Shoushan Village the backyard garden of the bustling city. In 2023, Shoushan Village was awarded the title of “China’s Beautiful Leisure Village.” Strolling through the alleys of the village, we can sense the changes quietly taking place in this small mountain village. Old houses are being restored to their original state, providing tourist-friendly infrastructure for more future visitors.
Currently, leveraging the unique natural and cultural resources of Shoushan stone, Jin’an District is building a Shoushan National Stone Town. It integrates leisure tourism, artistic and creative study, summer retreats, ecological health care, and rural experiences, promoting rural revitalization through the integrated development of culture, agriculture, and tourism.