Twelve Yuhua stones (Rain Flower Pebble) won the title of "Top 12 Monkey Kings in Nanjing" November 24 in a contest held by the Jinling Evening Post.

All these stones have vivid natural patterns of Monkey King, a Chinese fable character. More than 400 Yuhua stones took part in the competition.

Organizers said that one stone is so valuable that the owner did not want too many people to see it. Even the judging panel had a chance to get a glimpse of it only 10 minutes before their vote.

Yuhua stones get names for their colorful appearance and attractive inside patterns. The rare features of Yuhua Stones are beauty, purity, and crystal. Most of them are no more than several inches in dimension, but nearly all the things in the universe are mirrored in them, such as the sun, the moon, mountains, rivers, flowers, birds, insects, animals, people, utensils, and even abstract designs.

The various patterns and colors in stones are formed free from any artificial polishing or painting. This kind of miraculous endowments is really intoxicating and amazing.

(Xinhua News Agency November 29, 2003)