Basic Introduction to Donghai Crystal
Donghai Crystal, located in Donghai County, Jiangsu Province, known as the “Crystal Capital,” is a world-renowned natural crystal raw material hub, celebrated for its abundant reserves and high-quality crystals. The exploitation of Donghai Crystal dates back to the 19th century, but it has become widely recognized only in recent decades. In particular, the successful consecutive government-organized Crystal Festivals have introduced many people to Donghai and its crystal enterprises. The significant trade volume has effectively made Donghai the global distribution center for crystals.
Product Characteristics
1. Structure and Form: Perfectly crystallized quartz belongs to the trigonal crystal system and typically appears as hexagonal prisms, with one or both ends pointed. Multiple elongated prisms may connect together, forming clusters that are beautiful and spectacular, exhibiting a wide variety of shapes.
2. Specific Gravity: 2.56–2.66 grams per cubic centimeter. This indicates the weight of a given volume of crystal compared to the same volume of water, which is 2.56–2.66 times heavier. The density of massive varieties of quartz may be slightly higher.
3. Streak Color: Colorless. The color of a mineral's powder is called the streak. It can eliminate false color, weaken secondary color, and retain intrinsic color, making it a more reliable diagnostic characteristic than the mineral's color itself.
4. Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale, similar to the hardness of a steel file.
5. Luster: Vitreous. This luster is observed both on polished surfaces and on broken edges. The luster of a gemstone refers to its optical property of reflecting light. Unlike the star sapphire and star gems that reflect star-shaped streaks, or moonstones that emit a pale blue sheen, or opals that sparkle in various colors, the luster of quartz is simple and clear. To observe the luster of quartz, hold it in your hand and observe the reflection of light from a lamp or window; the brightness and strength of the luster are important characteristics of transparent quartz.
History and Folklore
From ancient times to the present, nothing in the world is purer than crystal. It is often likened to the tears of a chaste maiden, the stars of a summer night sky, the crystallization of a sage's wisdom, and the essence of all things. People have also attributed many beautiful myths and legends to precious crystals, symbolizing hopes and unsolved mysteries within them.
There are two popular stories about the origin of Donghai Crystal among the folk.
One legend states that the crystal here was brought by a celestial ox.
It is said that there was once an old melon farmer who lived at the foot of Niushan Mountain in Donghai and had spent his entire life cultivating watermelons. During a spring drought, the ground at Niushan cracked. The old farmer planted five acres of watermelons and managed to preserve just one by carrying water every day to irrigate it. The watermelon grew larger and larger until it reached the size of a basket. One noon, a wealthy landowner named “Scab” passed by thirsty and insisted on buying this watermelon to quench his thirst. As the old man hesitated, he suddenly heard a voice from inside the melon pleading, “Grandpa Melon, I am the divine ox of Niushan; please save me.” The old man found this strange and asked, “How did you get inside the melon?” The ox replied, “Due to the heat, I became extremely thirsty and entered the melon to drink its juice but got stuck and couldn't come out.” “How can I save you?” the old man anxiously rubbed his hands. The ox said, “You must not sell this watermelon to that villain; if he offers it to the emperor, Niushan will lose its treasures! Open the watermelon now and let me out.” Just then, Scab sent his servants to seize the watermelon. Without hesitation, the old farmer sliced open the melon, and a golden light burst forth, illuminating half the sky. The entire Niushan shone brightly. Then, a crystalline ox emerged, pulling a crystalline cart, so bright and transparent that it dazzled the eyes. The divine ox bowed before the old man and said, “Grandpa Melon, your field contains crystal beans; harvest them!” Scab, upon seeing the crystalline ox, was overjoyed and ordered his servants, “Ox fears three pressures, spread out and intercept the ox, capture the crystalline ox and obtain the crystalline cart and crystal beans!” A group of servants surrounded the crystalline ox, which ran around, leaving a trail of sparkling light wherever it went. Unable to break through the encirclement, the old man struck the ox's rear with the back of his knife and shouted, “Hurry up and go!” With a loud moo, the crystalline ox, in pain, charged forward, knocking Scab to the ground, causing him to bleed from seven orifices. The ox then dashed towards Niushan, and as it disappeared into the mountain, the mountain exploded with golden light, and the ox vanished inside. The servants, dejected, collected Scab's body and returned. The old farmer looked again and saw points of fiery light hopping around. He dug with a hoe and discovered shiny, translucent stones, which turned out to be valuable crystal stones.
The other folk story about Donghai Crystal and the divine ox goes like this: It is said that a divine ox descended from heaven to earth and stole watermelons from a farmer's field. Discovered by the owner of the melon garden, the ox was chased from southwest to northeast. As the ox ran, it urinated, and the pure urine seeped into the ground, causing crystal to grow where it touched the soil.
Awards and Honors
Donghai County spans 1,500 square kilometers and is rich in crystal and quartz deposits, with estimated quartz reserves of approximately 300 million tons and crystal reserves of around 300,000 tons. Its storage volume accounts for over 70% of the nation's total, earning it the title of “Crystal Capital” of China. It has been honored with titles such as “China's Gift and Business Souvenir Base,” “China's Ornamental Stone Hometown,” “China's Jewelry and Gemstone Specialized Industry Base,” and “China's Crystal Capital.” It is home to the largest specialized crystal trading market in the country and serves as a crucial global trading hub for crystals.