The hammer came down at China's first state-of-the-art stone auction Sunday. A highly-sought after piece made of chicken blood stone, or Jixue stone fetched 12 million yuan, or more than 1.5 million US dollars. Shoushan stone from Fujian, Inner Mongolia's Balin stone and chicken-blood stone produced in Zhejiang province are among China's highest grade gem stones. Their rare nature combined with the sophisticated craftsmanship of contemporary artists fueled furious competition by collectors at the auction. Gou Huixian, general director of Beijng Hanhai Auction Co., said, "They're really precious works. Their artistic value should be recognized by collectors." This piece by sculptor Niu Kesi on a precious chicken blood stone was sold at a record price - more than 1.5 million US dollars. Chicken blood stone, or cinnabar is considered one of the noblest of all native ornamental stones. Cinnabar traditionally is believed to protect its owner from evil and to bring blessings. Modern cutting technology and the delicate sculpting skills of masters help to multiply the value of stone works in China's modern auction arena.