Three Gorges Specialty of the Yangtze River - Three Gorges Stone

Three Gorges Stone is a general term for various peculiar stones produced in the Three Gorges area of the Yangtze River. The Three Gorges stones are mainly distributed in the streams, valleys, or steep mountains on both sides of the Xiajiang River. The stone source comes from the alluvial deposits of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, as well as the ancient pre Sinian metamorphic rocks, sedimentary rocks, and pre Cambrian intrusive granite in this area.

There are various types of stones in the Three Gorges, which have distinctive features in form, color, texture, and charm, and the scenery is noble and elegant. The stone material is granite, which is hard, non weathered, non alkali resistant, and is the preferred choice for garden landscape engraving stone. The stone pattern forms its own painting scroll, with bright colors and various textures, resembling landscape paintings or human figures, lifelike and uniquely shaped; Or cross patterns, become words, ingeniously crafted, deeply loved by people.

The Three Gorges is known as the Natural Museum, and rare stones are a precious treasure in this museum. About 8-9 billion years ago, crustal movements caused changes in the geological structure here, and granite and biological fossils were exposed to the sky, providing the necessary conditions for the formation of natural wonders. Afterwards, the Yangtze River formed, and the surging river washed day and night, finally reaching the terrazzo where the strange stones were transported to the slightly slower flowing area at the outlet of the Three Gorges. Thus, with billions of years of perseverance, the Yangtze River has nurtured a great nation while also creating a legend of stone.

Among these uniquely shaped stones, the most famous Three Gorges stones are: Three Gorges Picture Stone, Qingjiang Stone, and Yichang Illusionary Red Landscape Stone. The Three Gorges Painting Stone, as its name suggests, has rich and diverse patterns on it. Even without carving, it is still a quaint painting. Under the impact of the river water, the Three Gorges Qingjiang stones are quite smooth, with various shapes and rich artistic interests, making people fall in love at first sight. Yichang's Huancai Red is the king of these three strange stones. Its material is granite, which is characterized by smoothness, hardness, non weathering, beautiful texture, colorful, and high artistic value. Moreover, some of the top-quality Yichang Illusion Red Landscape Stones themselves form a natural painting scroll, with textured spots and colorful wonders on the stones that even surpass some famous domestic painters, leaving them in awe.

Since these Three Gorges stones are so unique and have a wide market, how can we find them? In fact, people who play with stones know that stones, like mines, also have a so-called "pulse". Before the Three Gorges Reservoir was filled with water, many strange stones were found and sold in the market for money. Local owners even drove excavators to dig out many strange stones that had been dormant for thousands of years on both sides of the Yangtze River. However, professionals who excavate strange stones know that they are mainly distributed below the water level of 175 meters in the Three Gorges. With the advancement of the Three Gorges Project, many unique stones from the Three Gorges will be submerged by the river water, making it difficult to find them now.

However, in order to facilitate tourists, the Three Gorges Scenic Area has launched activities to collect strange stones. Of course, there are also protection plans for the Three Gorges stones. For example, dangerous cliffs are informed in advance, and in order to avoid danger, tourists are not allowed to go up. The place to pick up strange stones is in the Little Three Gorges. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, tourists can also board small boats and follow the guidance of local guides to select their favorite Three Gorges stones on the designated shore. According to statistics, in the more than ten years since the opening of the Three Gorges, nearly five million tourists have picked up nearly 2500 tons of colorful red stones from the Three Gorges. These stones need to be transported by 500 Dongfeng 140 vehicles.

Of course, whether tourists can find beautiful Three Gorges stones depends more on luck. Many tourists have found strange stones such as "Magpie Watching Plum Blossoms", "Yiling Landscape", "Banqiao Ink Bamboo" in the Little Three Gorges. These stones are not only beautiful, but also tasteful. After seeing these various "treasures", many people cannot help but say: Three Gorges stones are really beautiful.