Qīngtián

Qingtian lies among the mountains of southern Zhejiang and is famed for its richly coloured stone. Soft enough to carve, yet fine in texture, the local stone has long been worked into figures, ornaments and seals. Carvers use the natural colours and patterns of each piece to shape their designs. In the Ming period, scholars' enthusiasm for stone seals helped make Qingtian stone especially prized. Its suitability for cutting allowed seal makers to work with a material distinct from the metal and jade traditionally used for seals, while the stone's varied colours gave each piece its own character.