The stone of heaven
Jade is rooted deeply in Chinese culture and history, with the first reported use of Jade occurring over 7,000 years ago. It wasn’t after another 3,000 years that Jade became a popular piece of ware that was no longer relegated to the elite class, and as sacrificial vessel placed in tombs of the elite.
This love affair resulted in the following Chinese proverb: ‘Gold is valuable, but Jade is priceless. So, in this article we will explore the history and cultural impact of Jade in China.
Jade Culture
Jade holds the spirit of China, and as such, many Chinese artisans have captured its elegance into many objects/artifacts. Some of the popular artefacts to be carved out of Jade were the Buddha which was used to drive away evil spirits, or deer to shower the owner with safety, or peach to give the owner longevity, and so on.
While other Chinese people believed it had healing properties and could be used to maintain a healthy body or ward off disease.
Jade or its Chinese equivalent 玉 (stone of heaven) was used by many parents to name their daughters to exemplify the beauty and blessing the child should receive.
Finally, many stories were based on Jade, showing the deep affection the people had of this stone. One such story: He Shi Bi. This story follows the journey of Mr He who tries to get the King to accept his piece of Jade. After many tribulations, his Jade is finally accepted, and once it was cut, it was found to be the most priceless white Jade to ever be discovered.
Classification of Jade
Jade is classified into two types: nephrite (soft Jade) and jadeite (hard jade).
Nephrite can be further sub-divided according to its colour: grey, green, topaz, black, and place of origin: Hetian Jade, Xiu Jade, Nanyang Jade. It is the cheaper of the two and more common because of this.
Jadeite was first found and used since the early Qing Dynasty. Its limited supply has earnt itself the ‘King of Jade’ and as a result of this, it is more coveted and sought by Chinese public, and commands a hefty price tag.
If you can bank role a piece of Jade, aim for Jadeite, and you’ll be hailed by Chinese by your exquisite taste and huge bank balance.
