The Queen of Chinese Ink Stones: Chicken Blood

Author: Qian Gaochao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: Changhua Chicken Blood Stone is a unique and precious gemstone in China, renowned for its vibrant, blood-like red color and exquisite natural beauty. It has long been cherished alongside jewelry and jade, earning the reputation of a "National Treasure" both domestically and internationally. It is sourced from Yuyan Mountain at the headwaters of the "Western Zhejiang Tourism Gorge" in Changhua, Lin'an City, Zhejiang Province.
Changhua Chicken Blood Stone formed 75 million years ago during volcanic activity. Its discovery and mining date back over 1,000 years, with widespread use flourishing during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the Ming Dynasty, Changhua Chicken Blood Stone crafts became treasured possessions in the imperial palace and the British Museum. During the Qing Dynasty, emperors and empresses such as Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong selected Changhua Chicken Blood Stone for imperial seals.
In modern times, Chairman Mao Zedong owned and treasured two large Changhua Chicken Blood Stone seals, while Premier Zhou Enlai chose it as a state gift for former Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka. Many cultural luminaries, including Guo Moruo, Wu Changshuo, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Pan Tianshou, Qian Juntao, and Ye Qianyu, have shared a deep connection with Changhua Chicken Blood Stone. Today, a fervor for collecting, studying, and trading Changhua Chicken Blood Stone is sweeping across China. Its culture is celebrated across five continents, especially in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian nations, as well as among the global Chinese community.
The natural beauty of Changhua Chicken Blood Stone stems from its composition as a (aggregate) of cinnabar, kaolinite, diaspore, pyrophyllite, and other minerals. Cinnabar is the primary component of the "blood," appearing in shades of bright red, deep red, purplish red, pale red, and in forms such as clusters, bands, and specks. Kaolinite and diaspore are the main components of the stone's texture, exhibiting colors like white, yellow, red, green, and brown, as well as transparency levels ranging from translucent to opaque.
Changhua Chicken Blood Stone is classified into four major categories—frozen ground, soft ground, hard ground, and very hard ground—each with over 100 varieties, based on color, transparency, luster, and hardness. Evaluating Changhua Chicken Blood Stone involves two key factors: the "blood" and the texture. The quality is primarily determined by the amount and vibrancy of the blood color, as well as the transparency, smoothness, and hardness of the stone. The more abundant and vivid the blood color, the clearer, more luminous, and smoother the texture, the more beautiful and valuable the stone becomes.
The primary artistic applications of Changhua Chicken Blood Stone include making seals, carving crafts, and displaying raw stones. Among all seal stones, Changhua Chicken Blood Stone is one of China's "Three Treasures of Seal Stones," earning the title of "Queen of Seal Stones" for its captivating beauty and contributing uniquely to the development of Chinese seal culture. It has also pioneered a distinctive carving style known as "Chicken Blood" artistry, renowned for its works that are "magnificent, elegant, exquisite, and abundant."
Since 1999, Changhua Chicken Blood Stone has been a top contender in China's annual National Seal Stone selection. Gemstone experts call it the "National Treasure of China." This book features hundreds of newly unearthed, exquisite Changhua Chicken Blood Stone pieces, including sculptures, pendants, stone ornaments, raw stone displays, and various seals. These works serve as excellent references for seal carvers and provide collectors with highly valuable and visually stunning art.