South Red Agate, historically known as “Chi Yu,” boasts a fine, smooth, and lustrous texture. It is a variety unique to China, with extremely limited production; consequently, the prices of antique South Red Agate have risen sharply. In the Buddhist Seven Treasures, the "Chi Zhu" (true pearl) refers precisely to South Red Agate.

During the Qianlong period, Nanhong from Baoshan was a tribute exclusively reserved for the imperial court; only those of extremely high social status were permitted to wear and handle it.

Nanhong is a collective term for red agate native to China. Nanhong agate mined in Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, is known as Baoshan Nanhong.

Liangshan Nan Hong South Red is also produced in the Daliang Mountains of Sichuan Province and is collectively referred to as Liangshan South Red.

Gannan Red During the Qing Dynasty, Gansu Province once produced abundant red agate, which came to be known as Gannan Red. However, the mine is now completely exhausted.

  African red agate A red agate with a watery texture has been discovered in Mozambique, Africa. Although non-red agates can also be red in color, they cannot be referred to as “South Red.”

Compared to Liangshan Nan Hong, Baoshan Nan Hong boasts higher luster, a stronger flesh-like texture, is opaque even under light, and features numerous cracks. After being worn and polished, its color becomes even more stunning. Moreover, due to its limited production, its market price remains consistently high, making it highly valuable for collectors.

South red agate has a long history; stringed ornaments made of south red agate have already been unearthed in noble tombs from the Warring States period. During the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, South Red from Baoshan was particularly prized as a high-quality gem coveted by the imperial court.

Baoshan Nan Hong—red yet not vividly bright, moist yet not translucent—is the perfect embodiment of Chinese aesthetic preferences for bead jewelry. Moreover, Baoshan Nan Hong boasts high collectible value and holds great potential for future appreciation!

Baoshan Nan Hong with poorer condition. The price is relatively low—generally around ten yuan per gram. However, the BaoShan variety with inferior quality lacks the distinctive beauty unique to BaoShan NanHong and, on the contrary, tends to have more cracks and flaws.

A Bao Shan southern red with average condition. Approximate price per carat 50-200 Around this price range. It has no obvious discoloration, boasts high completeness, and features excellent flesh quality—wearing and playing with it is a true aesthetic pleasure.

Premium Nanhong from Baoshan. Carat price 300 Above the yuan level, even higher. It’s of full-color, full-meat quality—free of impurities and minimal cracks—and displays a brocade-red hue under sunlight; even under intense light, it won’t become completely transparent.

Previously, there was widespread talk within the antique collecting community that Baoshan had already closed its mines. Is this true? Actually, it’s entirely a rumor.

  Rumor One The mine in Baoshan, once considered exhausted during the Qing Dynasty, was actually an old mining site that had been producing Nanhong jade from Baoshan. At the time, due to the weakening of the Qing dynasty’s national strength, the authorities lacked the capability to carry out deeper mining operations, leading them to mistakenly believe that the Baoshan mine had already been exhausted.

  Rumor No. 2 In recent years, mining has been shut down. Baoshan has indeed closed its mines! However, the closure applies only to a mine entrance called “Dishuidong,” because the excavation at this entrance was threatening the safety of nearby reservoirs, so it was sealed off. Nevertheless, production can still continue in the surrounding mining areas.

The Baoshan Nan Hong production area is mainly divided into: Dongshan and Willow (Xishan). Dongshan is located to the east of Baoshan and has a relatively large output. Yangliu Township, on the other hand, is situated to the west of Baoshan and currently has a lower output than Dongshan.

  What’s the difference between Baoshan produced in Dongshan and Yangliu?

Yangliu Township This is the earliest production area for Baoshan Nan Hong. During the Qianlong period, most of the imperial Nan Hong came from here. The Nan Hong sourced from Yangliu has a smoother texture and some pieces exhibit a slightly watery quality; under strong light, it can be either fully transparent or semi-transparent, yet it possesses even more pronounced jewelry-like characteristics.

The Yangliu Nan Hong, in excellent condition, boasts a color as vibrant as red brocade, with virtually no impurities or cracks— even under intense polishing, its flaws remain virtually invisible. Consequently, most of the gemstone materials used for Bangshan Nan Hong rings originate from Yangliu Township.

  However, the Yiliu water material with poorer quality has a relatively translucent texture and a lighter color, making it quite similar to the Liangshan joint material of better quality. When purchasing, you’ll need to carefully distinguish between the two.

  Dongshan It is currently the largest production area for Baoshan Nan Hong. As the output of Baoshan Nan Hong in Yangliu Township has been steadily declining, Dongshan has now become the largest production area for Baoshan Nan Hong.

  Dongshan material The color is yellower than that of Yangliu material and is known in the industry as "persimmon red" or "persimmon yellow." Compared to Yangliu material, Dongshan material has a heavier stone-like and resin-like texture, and when lit, it’s generally opaque. However, Dongshan material often contains numerous impurities and cracks, giving it a rich, historically textured appearance.

  Whether you choose Dongshan material or Yangliu material is entirely a matter of personal preference! Traditionally, the top-quality Baoshan Nan Hong colors are mainly categorized into persimmon red and brocade red.

  The reddish or yellowish hawthorns of Baoshan are mostly produced in Dongshan. These stones are dense and often riddled with cracks, yet they exhibit a strong resinous texture that remains opaque even under light. The phrases “No crack, no Baoshan,” “Full color, full flesh,” and “Strong resinous texture”—all originated as descriptions specifically for the Nanhong from Baoshan, which comes from Dongshan.

There was a time when Baoshan Nan Hong was most highly prized for its persimmon-red hue. Later, Chinese consumers’ preference for Baoshan Nan Hong shifted from persimmon red to brocade red. Yangliu Township, which produces Nanhong with even more vivid colors, has become a market favorite. Yangliu’s Nanhong from Baoshan has a redder color, but many pieces are more watery and translucent, and they tend to have relatively fewer cracks.

As for which fabric is better, that’s entirely a matter of personal preference! Some people prefer the more traditional persimmon red, which better embodies the cultural essence of Baoshan. Others, however, lean toward the more modern brocade red—a shade that’s richer and more vibrant, with a flawless appearance.

     Therefore, many older Baoshan beads are predominantly persimmon red, while more modern jewelry materials tend to feature clear, crack-free jin red.

Persimmon Red, Brocade Red, Chili Red, Red-and-White Blend, Lychee Jelly, Ice Red, Other (various shades including multi-colored, dark, cracked, and water-permeable)

Persimmon Red This is the most abundant variety of Baoshan Nan Hong. Its color resembles that of ripe persimmons, with a deep orange hue and a rich, fleshy texture. It’s predominantly sourced from Dongshan. However, persimmon red often features numerous inclusions and cracks, so high-quality, pure-colored specimens are truly worth collecting.