Shadows of the Farm

Credit line: On loan from Professor Sum Yee Loong

Inscription of title: 田園留影

Qingtian stone carving is one of the most famous handicrafts works in China. The earliest Qingtian stone carving discovered dates back to 1,500 years ago and was unearthed in a tomb of the Southern and Northern Dynasties Period (420 AD – 589 AD).

The stone is named for Qingtian county in southeast Zhejiang province, southern China. Qingtian stone is full of natural beauty and occurs in many different colours, like red, yellow, blue, white or even black, which depends on the chemical elements it contains. The stone has a gentle texture, so it is widely used as a carving and seal cutting material. With refined and delicate craftsmanship, Qingtian stone carving also has a reputation of being referred to as ‘embroidery on stones'.