In the Laiwu mountainous district of Taishan Mountain in Shandong Province of China, large numbers of trilobite fossils have been found. Trilobite came into existing in the Cambrian period of 500 years ago and extinct in the early stage of the Secondary Era, ruling over ocean for 300 million years successively. After great changes of nature, the remains of the dead trilobites turned into fossils in the appearance similar to the flying swallow. So, this kind of fossil stone was reputed as "Swallow Stone".      

"Swallow Stone" is not only precious materials for paleontological research, but also a sort of peculiar ornamental stone as well as craft raw material, which can be used to make writing brush, ink stick, ink slab, paper, pencil vase, vase, and fan surface, etc. Since 1987, "Swallow Stone" has been used as appointed souvenir of International Confucianism Academic Seminar by Chinese Confucius Foundation. The fine craftworks made of Swallow Stone have been selected as national gifts for international friends.