VietNamNet Bridge – Wealthy people seek special and expensive things to display for Tet (lunar New Year). Ancient peach trees, unique ceramic products and special ornamental trees are no longer special. Some well-off individuals now pay thousands of USD to buy ornamental rocks.

The hobby of collecting and displaying ornamental rocks comes from China. This hobby has been adopted and quickly favored by some Vietnamese because, as they said, it brings them to be closer to nature and help reduce the stress of daily life.

According to historical books, the famous Chinese poet and writer Su Shi (1037-1101) was the first person who set principles for choosing ornamental rocks. A good rock must satisfy four standards: skinny but sturdy, shriveled, uneven and having holes.

Rock hunters said that their job is “the search of predestined affinity” because only with “predestined affinity,” can rock hunters see the rocks.

This hobby is not sophisticated and doesn’t require a lot of labor like other kinds of ornamental things as flowers, birds, bonsai, etc. but it enchants rock collectors in its own way.

Ornamental rocks are unique and their hidden beauty is a challenge for rock hunters. Many people are willing to pay thousands or hundreds of thousands of USD to buy an ornamental rock to display during Tet.

This stone painting is cost VND1.5 billion ($75,000). It is made by imported onyx stone.

This stone painting is VND1.8 billion.

A 1.4 ton agate block worth VND300 million ($15,000).

This rock is VND1 billion ($50,000).

This Canxedol rock is processed in one year.

Fossil wood worth VND600 million ($30,000).

This fossil wood is cost $20,000.

Thu Ly