In Shanxi, carving tradition set in stone

Benefiting from local government policies, residents of Xizhuang village in Xinjiang county of Yuncheng, Shanxi province, have the stone processing business boom in recent years.

Jiangzhou stone carving, a traditional skill originating in Xinjiang county, has a history of more than 1,000 years. In 2017, Jiangzhou stone carving was listed as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage, encouraging more residents of Xizhuang to join the business.

About 25 kilometers northwest of Xinjiang county, Mashou Mountain provides abundant raw materials suitable for the craft.

Xizhuang is a living fossil that has preserved Jiangzhou stone carving skills. The village has three courtyards of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and more than 20 courtyards of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in which a wide variety of stone structures show the styles of each period.

Unlike other stone carving skills, Jiangzhou stone carving is a comprehensive art integrating physics, sculpture, painting, calligraphy, seal cutting and modeling.

The Xinjiang Stone Carving Park in the village has attracted nearly 100 stone carving factories and hundreds of experienced craftsmen, including inheritors of the craft from the provincial, city and county levels.

In recent years, modern mechanical carving skills based on traditional methods have been introduced to help promote variety and quantity, and increase efficiency.

The village has developed nearly 1,000 varieties of products in 10 series. The products have been welcomed in both domestic and overseas markets.

Stone carving has become a leading industry for local farmers to increase their incomes. The annual output value has reached 100 million yuan ($13.85 million).