Vlog: Craving Chinese cuisine? Beware! Your meal might come with a surprise – stones!

A table of Chinese dishes caught visitors' attention at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo. But the delicious-looking dishes are non-edible.

They are carved from Shoushan stone, which can only be quarried from Shoushan Village on the outskirts of Fuzhou City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Xu Chongliang, an arts and crafts master of Fujian Province, and a national expert in the light industry technology, told CGTN.

The table of simulated dishes displayed at the expo is priced at 980,000 yuan (about $135,000).

"It took me and my team over two years to find and carve the materials," Xu said.

"Shoushan stone is known for its rich color. The stone will change during the carving process, so the design and carving methods must change as well," explained Jin Shenghua, curator of Shizhongtang Shoushan Stone Art Museum.

Jin said Shoushan stone carving tests the sculpting masters' ability to improvise.

She told CGTN that the Shoushan stone has a 1,500-year-old history and used to be a royal favorite.

"The Qianlong Emperor (1711-1799) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was really into seals. He had over 200 seals, 150 of which were made of Shoushan stone," said Jin.

After entering New China, the country experienced a shortage in foreign exchange reserves. The Fuzhou General Factory of Carving & Handicraft, which was founded in 1954, created a batch of excellent works for foreign currency, Jin said. The factory is also home to a thriving arts and crafts business and serves as a gateway for cultural exchanges between Fuzhou and the rest of the world.

"With the development of the economy in China, ordinary people have started to purchase Shoushan stone carvings to keep in their homes as household displays," Jin said.

(Cover image by Zhu Shangfan)