Liuzhou has four stone markets, two major and two smaller markets. The Donghuang East Circle Fantastic Stone Castle and the Miao Pu Nursery Stone Appreciation Market are the two largest. Each is a permanent site with several small streets lined on both sides with stores. Typically, the shops are individually owned (the space is rented) and some owners may specialize in certain types of stone such as Dahua or Moore. During the major stone festivals, additional vendors set up temporary shops adjacent to the markets. At this time, the markets double or triple in size, and can be crowded. The two other smaller markets are the Chinese Stone Capital and the Maan Shan Stone Market. The latter is the smallest and is located in a cave on a mountain in a scenic area of the city.

First time visitors to these major markets should allocate one or two days. We recommend that shoppers take their time, visit many shops to see the range in quality and pieces, and do not appear to be anxious to buy stones. Return later in the afternoon or the next day to make your purchases. The first morning initial asking prices for a stone is typically higher for foreigners, so be prepared to bargain. Also, don’t hesitate to walk away and then come back later to see if you can get a lower price. Sales are generally for cash; and usually no foreign credit cards are accepted.     

The Liuzhou stone markets are the place to go to see, learn about, and buy stones from southern China and, in particular, stone from Guangxi Province. This province produces many fine and highly sought after stones such as Sanjiang (Three Rivers), Moore, Dahua, and Laibin.

This market first opened for business on September 28, 2001. As you first walk down Hu Tai Road, a narrow street, you begin to notice some smaller stone shops, but soon, the area opens and stone shops are everywhere. There are 13,000 square meters of shop space in this large market area. Here you can buy small stones that fit in your hand or huge ones weighing several tons. Since Shanghai is a major cosmopolitan center in China, stones come into this market from all regions of China and from other countries. The stone market serves as a wonderful means of seeing a wide range of stones, over 200 different types.

The shops range from small operations to high end boutique shops with expensive but exceptional quality stones. In addition to stones, this is the place to come for the various accessories associated with stones including display tables. This is also the place where skilled wood carvers can be found to make beautiful hand carved bases for stones.

Allow at least a one-half day visit if you are serious about purchasing a stone. We like to stroll through the shops once inquiring about stones and their prices, before going back and starting serious negotiations for the purchase of a stone.

Yingde City is located in northern Guangdong Province approximately 90 km from Guangzhou, the location of the nearest airport. Yingde City is an old settlement on the Beijiang River, famous as the source of the Ying stone, one of the four most precious stones of China. It is about 1.5 hour drive from Guangzhou by car. It is best to come here with a knowledgeable stone person who knows where the shops are located and also with someone who speaks Cantonese.

There are many stone shops in this city of nearly 900,000 people; however, the shops are generally not clustered together. We found three or four shops adjacent to each other, but otherwise, the shops are spread throughout the city. The five stone shops we visited were all well stocked with a selection of stones of various qualities. A couple of the higher-end shops offer some exceptional stones. This is the city to visit if you are interested in purchasing Ying stones, because we believe you will find a wider selection of these stones here than anywhere else in China. The source of these stones is the nearby Ying Mountains where they are collected even today. Besides Ying stones, visitors can see some nice Yellow Wax stones and other stones from southern China. Since the city is away from the major, urban stone markets and not on the typical tourist routes, stones can be purchased for reasonable prices. Two types of Ying stones can be purchased here. Good quality Ying stones with attractive bases that are sold as view stones or shangshi, and other Ying stones without bases that are sold for use in creating penjing. You can buy a single large piece to grow a “root over rock” type of penjing or many pieces to make a rock penjing or a landscape penjing. Outside the city center, it is possible to purchase huge, landscape-sized Ying stones for use in gardens. There are several stone shops located in the large entrance building at the China Yingshi Garden on highway S347.

This is a convenient market to visit as it is located within the city of Guangzhou. It is a good place to look for stones from southeastern China including Yellow wax stones and superb carved stones. We have visited this market three times over several years and each time, approximately 50% of the stores were not open. It may be in a period of decline. Despite that, you may find some nice bargains. Allow one to two hours for a quick visit, longer if want to try and bargain and obtain a lower price on a choice stone.

If you want to see the wide range of Gobi Desert stones and other types stones native If you want to see the wide range of Gobi Desert stones and other types of stones native to northern China, then Alashan and nearby Yinchuan are the places to go. Alashan is located in the far western portion of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region of Gansu province, China. We first visited Alashan in 2004, and then again in 2013. The changes were remarkable. The city is situated on the Inner Mongolian Plateau at an altitude between 1000 and 1400 meters (about 3200 to 4600 feet) in the Gobi Desert. Late spring and early autumn are the best times to visit; by timing your trip you can avoid the harsh continental climate here. Alashan is now a city of about 140,000 people. In 2004, Alashan had only one permanent stone market. On our latest trip, we discovered five new areas where permanent stone markets are located. Alashan has become the viewing stone capital of Northern China. It has one of the three largest stone festivals held every year, and is one of the best places to go for Gobi Desert stones.

The new stone markets have been recently built or have taken over other business. A former indoor fruit and vegetable market has been converted into stone shops. The stones seen in these shops are primarily from the western Gobi. Most notable ones are food stones; that is, small desert stones that superficially resemble different types of foods. Ninety-five of the food stones are found in the Alashan region. Grape agates, obtained from a single mine in the western Gobi Desert, are also seen more frequently in Alashan than in any other stone market city in China. Multicolored examples of these agates command very high prices, some as much as $400,000 for a large natural piece. There are now several hundred indoor stone shops to visit.

We recommend that visitors travel to Alashan during the annual festival, typically in autumn, when hundreds of collectors come to the city to set up temporary shops in one of two large open areas. A wide range of ventifacts, jaspers, agates and other stones are abundant along with petrified wood. These range from small pieces that can be held in one hand to huge petrified logs weighing several tons. Not all of the fossilized wood seen here originated in the Gobi region. Large quantities are brought in from Myanmar and other southeastern countries to be sold in the higher priced stone boutiques.

The City of Alashan has ambitious plans to build a large viewing stone museum. If this is accomplished, Alashan will be the most important viewing stone center in northern China. The city now has nice very modern hotels. It is best to go to Alashan with a Chinese-speaking guide or friend, as limited English is spoken here. Stone connoisseurs may wish to fly to Yinchuan and visit the many stone shops there before hiring a car or taking a bus to Alashan. There is a new modern toll road leading from Yinchuan to Alashan that shortens the trip to about two hours. Along the way, you can see the western-most portion of the Great Wall. The scenery along the way is enjoyable.

These markets, in addition to the stones available for viewing at the Ningxia Qishi Museum, provide stone enthusiasts with considerable opportunities to learn about and buy stones from the Gobi Desert, Yellow River, and other parts of northern China. There are two viewing stone markets in Yinchuan. The West Tower Antique Market is located in the West Tower Xingqing District in Yinchuan City, while the other, the Yinchuan Culture Market is located at 269 Beijing Road, also in Yinchuan City. Our recommendation is to take one day visit both markets. Learn the range of stones that are available and determine the initial prices vendors are asking for the stones. Then, return on a different day to focus on the stones that appealed to you. Be prepared to bargain. Visitors will find various fossils for sale in Yinchuan, but, please remember that it is illegal to take fossils of early mammals, dinosaurs, dinosaur eggs, crinoids, and other animals out of China.

Of particular note are Yinchuan’s stone festivals, during which hundreds of vendors descend upon the city with thousands of stones for sale. The 10th Yinchuan Stone Tourism Festival was held from May 30 until June 8, 2012. A festival is held in Yinchuan each year in May or June. It is an exciting time to be in Yinchuan.

If you travel to a future stone festival in Yinchuan, consider taking a day trip to see the famous Xixia Tombs--remnants of many tombs of the ancient Western Xia emperors. They are located just 30 km West of Yinchuan. This provides a rare opportunity for westerns to see ruins of this age.

The great market place in Kunming is a treasure trove for collectors interested in stones from southwestern China. Kunming Fantastic Stone Town is a complex of buildings housing over 400 dealers. Most of the shops sell viewing stones and jewelry made from local stones, but there are also a few pet fish shops, an antique shop, and even a shop for making bases for stones. This is the place to come to find excellent examples of Yunnan province stones. Visitors will see iron stones, a large variety of Jinshan and Long River stones, Yellow Wax and Golden Jade, along with a great abundance of stones from the neighboring province of Guizhou. Collectors especially interested in Yellow Wax and Golden Jade should visit this market. Kunming is the capital for these stones. High grade Yellow Wax stones are used to make stone carvings and various types of jewelry that is marketed as Golden Jade. This market place is pleasant and the spacious open setting is conducive to wandering and browsing from store to store. You can easily spend a half day or more here. This market place is also the headquarters for the View Stone Association of Yunnan province and the Huanglong Jade Association of Yunnan province.

Dali City is an ancient city that lies on the western edge of Lake Erhai, the seventh largest lake in China, and immediately east of the Cangshan or Blue Mountains. It lies north of the provincial capital of Kunming. It is a 4.5 hour drive on a new road or a 45-minute flight from Kunming. Dali is composed of “Old Dali” and “New Dali.” Dali is the capital of the Dali Bai Autonomous prefecture. Bai and Yi are the dominant minorities in this region. Dali is famous for its marble production and as scenic area. Visitors should go to “Old Dali” to find Dali picture stones, experience the sights and scenes of the historical section of the city, and to sample the Bai ethic foods. It is a wonderful experience in this major tourist oriented city.

Stores selling Dali picture stones are scattered in different parts of Old Dali rather than clustered together in a central stone market. Visitors can head to “Antique Street” and find several Dali marble vendors located in this area. Dali is not a big city by Chinese standards, having approximately 650,000 people. Old Dali is just a small part of the city. Since Old Dali is a major tourist destination, it is relatively easy for foreign visitors to find a hotel, interpreting services, and arrange taxi service to a Dali stone store. Spend an extra day or two in Dali and take the cable car up into the Canshan or visit the huge Three Pagoda Buddhist temple on the edge of the city.

Located about 45 km from Nanjing, it is known as the modern Rain Flower stone Capital of China. There are four or five stone shops located along the main street in the heart of this district. Most of them contain very high quality Rain Flower stones along with jewelry made from these stones. Prices are relatively high for these rare stones, but the quality is also excellent. Most individual higher quality stones sell in a range from $300 to $2,000 or more. One shop has a variety of lower cost stones available for bargain hunters. Expect to pay a premium for a stone that has a figure of a person or animal or one that has a nice landscape scene. Multiple color stones are also expensive as are opals.

This market opened in the spring of 2013 and is located in the open courtyard of a large museum. Vendors display their stones in the courtyard. The sales area is open only on Fridays and Saturdays. This is an excellent location to purchase quality Nanjing Rain Flower Pebbles at reasonable prices. We purchased five stone here in late April, 2013.

Xuzhou is a major city of 8.5 million people and a major transportation hub in northwestern Jiangsu province. The larger of two stone markets in this city is the Fantastic Stones, Flower and Plants Trade center located at Nansanhuan. There are approximately 300 stores located within this center and 60% of them are stone dealers. This is another important sales area for purchasing various types of Lingbi stones and other stones from northern Jiangsu province.

We found many nice White Lingbi, Coin, and a variety of yellowish-gold color Lingbi stones here. The greatest problem we encountered here is the number of stones we wanted to buy, but sadly with no easy means to carry them back home. We travelled to Xuzhou by high speed bullet train from the Shanghai train station located next to the Hongqiao airport terminal. This is the main domestic service airport in Shanghai.

Remember that most sales are conducted on a cash basis. Some of the larger stores may accept a credit card only if it is issued by a Chinese bank

This is one of the larger stone shops that features classical stones in China. There is a wide range of natural and altered stones on three floors. Also, this is one of the few dealers that has paintings of stones for sale. He specializes in higher quality stones and the prices reflect this fact. Xu is knowledgeable about Chinese stone appreciation and enjoys sitting and discussing stones over a cup of tea.

Qingdao is best known in western countries for the brand of beer produced here and sold throughout the world. But, it is also the place to find certain types of viewing stones, especially Laoshan Green stones. These stones have been collected and prized for generations, so expect to pay accordingly. It is difficult to find attractive, high quality Laoshan Green stones in other areas of China. This Qingdao Cultural & Antique Market has several nice stone shops. Other stones from northeastern China are also found here. Bring an interpreter with you. Little English is spoken here.

Yougou is a small community located directly of the heart of Lingbi stone deposits in northern Anhui province. It is located about midway along the road connecting the city of Xuzhou in Jiangsu province and the city of Lingbi in Anhui province. Yugou is administratively under the control of Lingbi City located about 36 kilometers to South. Both sides of the road in Yugou are lined for four kilometers with shops selling Lingbi stones. Most of these stones originate from nearby fields and hills where the stones are mined by farmers and land owners.

This is an excellent place to come to buy Lingbi stones because of the great variety of stones that are available and for the fact that the stones have not passed through many dealers; thus, you may be able to obtain stones for more reasonable prices. Bear in mind though, that high quality Lingbi stones are in great demand within China and that prices have risen dramatically in recent years. Yugou is accessible only by car and you will need at least half a day just to visit several of the nicer shops along the highway. They range in size from huge, warehouse-sized business displaying over 1,000 stones to small family shops with only a few dozen stones. It is great fun to wander through the stones and learn about the stones that have been prized in China for over 1,000 years.

If you do make this trip, drive a short distance to the new Mineralogical Park that is being developed to preserve and commemorate a historic Song dynasty Lingbi mining site.

This is a modest-sized stone market located in a large, older, two-story building. There are numerous shops selling stones, perhaps 50 or more. Other shops located here sell other goods including furniture, display tables, and jewelry. Be certain to climb the stairs to the second floor as there are many nice stone shops located on this level.

A wide range of stones are available in these shops including two types that originate in the Beijing region. These are the brown, natural landscape type known as Jinhai, and the polished lighter colored Xuan Yuan stones. The latter make very attractive decorative stones. Numerous Gobi desert stones were present in several stores including two shops that sold Gobi desert food and windblown stones. We also noticed several pieces of petrified wood from Xinjiang for sale. Of particular interest at this market was the large number of higher quality bases. These hardwood bases were superior to many of the bases seen in other markets.

Beijing will not have a major modern stone market because of a decision by government leaders to have the major markets all located in major cities throughout China rather than the capital. The largest and most modern major market is this larger region is not in Beijing, instead, it is located in Tienjin about an hour’s train ride from Beijing.

No. 1 1/F, Hall B, Stone and Flower Market, Shilihe

No. 19, Dayangfang Road

Chaoyang District