Shadow stone carving, a distinctive stone sculpture technique rooted in Xiamen city's Huli district — with extensions to Kinmen, Taiwan and to Southeast Asia, masterfully employs the "subtract-black-retain-white" principle to create chiaroscuro imagery through precision pointillism.

Its artists wield a custom alloy chisel to meticulously dot 1.5cm-thick polished Yuchanghu bluestone or monochrome slabs — transforming preparatory sketches into breathtaking artworks through drafting, outlining, rough carving, fine detailing and refinements.

This art elevates traditional Chinese linear aesthetics by constructing three-dimensional illusions on flat surfaces through calculated micro-dot density and depth variations.

Each piece captures fleeting light-shadow interplays, seamlessly merging painting techniques with sculptural rigor.

Celebrating southern Fujian's cultural ethos, Shadow stone carving's hyper-realistic, painterly works have revitalized stone carving's artistic and utilitarian values while fostering local employment.

Its legacy as both a cultural emblem and an economic catalyst underscores its role in rural revitalization and inclusive development.