People are always fascinated by the stunning views of natural landscapes and the earth's diverse species of animals and plants.

One of nature's most beautiful pieces of work are rain flower pebbles which mimic paintings. 

The rain flower pebble is called "Yuhua" stone in Mandarin. It is a special kind of agate found at near Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province of China. In a site of ancient gravel stratum formed millions of years ago, various types of stones include agates, crystals and opals are found; among them there are the rain flower pebbles.

The rain flower pebble is famous for its distinctive patterns. Millions of years ago, elements of it were firstly melted by the high heat of lava, mixing with other chemical elements, then filled in the space of lava and finally deposited to form a stone. During this long forming process, colorful elements were randomly mixed up and became beautiful colored patterns. This is why the patterns of rain flower pebbles are distinctive.

The rain flower pebble considered as one of the oldest ornamental stone in China. Ancient Chinese people collected them and appreciated the pattern of each stone. The most popular and expensive stones are those which have patterns that resemble an animal, a human or a landscape. Until now, these types of rain flower pebbles are still the favorite of Chinese mineral and stone enthusiasts.

(Cover image via VCG. )

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