Beijing’s largest rare stone market

Beijing Hongyan Rare Stone Market is the capital's jewel in the crown when it comes to trading in stones. Situated in southwest Beijing, it houses tens of thousands of rare stones and products from all over the country.

Miscellaneous agates from Inner Mongolia autonomous region, rocks carved by drifting sand from Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, stones said to exorcise evil spirits from Mount Taishan in Shandong province, and stone products symbolizing animals, flower patterns and even basketball, are all on display.

Zhang Yongming, general manager of the market, said there's great potential in stone collection amid China's rapid growth and increasing cultural appreciation of masterpieces of nature. He also said the price of stone ranges greatly depending on the rarity, skin, texture, and pattern.

[Photos by Uking/chinadaily.com.cn]