Dynasties and duplicates

Although Bengbu in Anhui province has no raw jade, it's still one of China's most important hubs for carving the stone.

The city's fame dates from 1958 when the State-owned Bengbu Jade Carving Factory was established and rapidly won business from customers in Hong Kong, Taiwan and countries in Southeast Asia with better-developed economies.

In a recent interview with China Daily, Fu Chengquan, a Bengbu jade merchant, explained why the factory was founded in the city. "During the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), there was a royal jade-carving workshop, and many of the craftsmen there came from Bengbu.