Yellow Wax Stones of Southern China

摘要

From the collections of Huang Jiuwei, Xie Rongyao, and Lin Nan. Wax Stones have been collected and valued byChinese stone enthusiasts for many generations, especially those in southern China where many of the finest wax stones originate. These stones are named for their lustrous, silky, wax-like surface texture and are most frequently yellow to yellowish brownin color; however, some are white, red, brown, and rarer green, purple and black. This article will focus mainly on the Yellow Wax Stones of southern China. These stones are exceptionally hard (6.5 to 7.5 mohs), similar to jade, and composed of varyinghigh levels of silica in the form of quartz. Impurities that have infiltrated the quartz over many years are responsible for the color.