The "Yuxiang Stone Flute" of Yi County is a unique skill of Huizhou's traditional stone carving craftsmanship. It is a perfect combination of musical instrument making technology and Huizhou stone carving technology. The Yuxiang Stone Flute is not only a practical musical instrument, but also a fine product of stone carving technology. It has been around for nearly 300 years. Yi County has been rich in "Yixian Blue" marble since ancient times. The stone is fine and solid, blue in color, with dark black lines in between. After polishing, it is shiny and is the top raw material for Huizhou ancient buildings and Huizhou stone carving technology. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Yuxiang, a native of Xidi Prefecture in Yi County, was born in poverty. He learned stone carving skills from his father since he was a child. When he grew up, he went around to seek advice from masters and eventually became a master of stone carving. Because he loved playing since childhood, he carved stone flutes and stone pipes with "Yixian Blue". When played, the sound quality is more mellow and crisp than bamboo flutes and bamboo pipes, and it has the magical sound of heavenly music. Since then, the "Yuxiang Stone Flute" has become famous and widely cherished and collected by musicians. Its influence is not only in China, but also spread to Southeast Asia. The "Dictionary of Chinese Celebrities of All Dynasties" published by Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House records Yu Xiang: He has unique craftsmanship, and the stone flutes and stone pipes he made are all in tune. He made delicate objects and engraved calligraphy and paintings on them, which is known as a unique skill. The "Yixian Chronicle" (1985) records: The stone flutes, stone pipes, stone chi and other musical instruments made by Yu Xiang are not only regarded as treasures in China, but also spread to Southeast Asia and are appreciated by overseas Chinese. The production of "Yuxiang Stone Flute" has been handed down in Xidi, Yi County to this day. According to the "Xidi Village Chronicles", in the late Qing Dynasty, the "Yuxiang Stone Flute" made by Tang Laijin, a villager from He Village, Xidi, was listed as a tribute to the court and was awarded a gold medal by Emperor Guangxu. Since the production of stone flutes requires the carver to have extremely high knowledge of music theory, playing skills, carving tools, and carving techniques, there are few people who fully master this unique skill. At present, only Fang Rujin, a villager from Tonglian Village, Xidi, has loved music since childhood. With 30 years of experience in stone carving, he has studied hard under the guidance and teaching of old artists in the countryside and finally mastered this unique skill that is on the verge of disappearing. The Yuxiang Stone Flute he made has passed the technical appraisal of Hu Liang, a flute performance expert from the Art Department of Huangshan College. Wu Xiaoguang, a famous contemporary painter, praised it in a poem: Fang is now happy, and the stone flute is carved with thousands of carvings; the inspiration of Yuxiang is obtained, and the century-old skills are now conveyed. As a famous stone carving skill, Yuxiang Stone Flute still has a large number of potential talents in the area with strong cultural traditions in Yi County today. The project protection and inheritance has a good prospect and has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage protection project by the Yi County Cultural Department. Information source: Anhui Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center Information source: Anhui Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center