YunZi is a Wei Qi stone produced in Yun Nan Province, it was also called YongZi or YunBian in the history.
White ones--- of light yellow or cerulean--hued jadestone; Black ones--- if looked in the light, there is
at the dome of each you can see a tiny pond of stagnant water-like reflection. Comparing with plastic, glass
and ceramic stones, the handcraft of YunZi is more refined, there are distinct differences between the
seeing, sound on board and hand feeling.
History of YunZi
The production of YunZi is from Chinese Tang dynasty (about fifteen hundred years ago), and it was famous at
Ming/Qing dynasty, and the history with definite record are more than five hundred years. During the YunZi,
the most famous one are the YongZi from Yong Chang Fu in Ming dynasty. It was said that at that time a people
of Yong Chang Fu was in charge of jewelry keeping for the emperor. Once there was a fire accident at palace,
and this Yong Chang people found the unfrozen jewelry and jade had special beautiful light. After back to
homeland, he used the local materials of agate and jade to make the Yong Zi. Yong Zi were warmly welcomed by
the upper class at that time, and became a tribute to the emperor. Today there a only one and a half of real
Yong Zi which was produced in Ming dynasty.
Renascence of YunZi
At the beginning of last century the technics of YunZi was lost, and Chinese government paid attention to the
renascence of Yun Zi. From 1970, YunNan WeiQi factory started experiments for the produce of YunZi, and at 1974
they finally produced wonderful new YunZi with brand of "Yun".
Yunnan Wei Qi factory - movie
Here's a youtube movie which shows the production of the YunZi and more information about the Yunnan Wei Qi Factory.
