A legendary gemstone known for its unique color and believed to possess spiritual quality and healing ability, jade is the most popular material for ornaments in China. The practice of making jade items began over 10,000 years ago, during the Neolithic period, and lasted through all stages of China's history into the present day. The great influence of jade upon the Chinese culture is evident in almost all aspects of the life of Chinese: custom, mannerism, literature, philosophy, art, and spiritual beliefs. Specially-designed jade ornaments were one of the things used by the ancient Chinese upper class to display their status and wealth. When in Beijing, find a Beijing tour operator to take you on a private tour to discover unique jade works in the city's local shops.
A common trait across all varieties of jade is having an incredibly soft, smooth, and warm appearance that sometimes belies the fact that it is actually especially hard. Beneath the hard surface, the exquisite color has a sense of purity and ephemeral beauty that seems to have been captured in eternity. For this appealing quality and other of its purported health and spiritual benefits, jade has won the hearts and minds of Chinese, who regard it as not only possessing the highest form of beauty, but representing all that is good about a virtuous gentleman. Confucius, the most famous Chinese thinker, once said: "The wise have likened jade to virtue."
The discovery of jade in the Neolithic period is believed to be a result of the ancient stone-tool making practice. On the sites of two pre-historic Chinese cultures, Liangzu and Hongshan, archaeologists found a large variety of jade artifacts used for different purposes. According to one historical account written 3,000 years ago, the mining of jade had already been practiced for several thousand years by that time. Jade works unearthed from ancient burial sites confirmed that early on the ownership of jade was considered an exclusive privilege of the ruling class.
In later periods, as Chinese society became increasingly complex, and the techniques used to create jade works were greatly improved, jade works became a popular form of art. It is said that during the Zhou dynasty, one of the most popular activities among the upper class people was decorating oneself with different jade items to show one's taste in art and knowledge of jade. During the Song dynasty, this art progressed to a high level. The creative artisans from that time invented a new variety of jade ornaments to meet people's need to appreciate the beauty of jade in new ways. During the Ming and Qing dynasty, the art of jade reached a high peak. New designs continuously emerged, and people from all strata of society owned jade to enrich their life.
The enormous influence of jade on Chinese culture even extends to language. "Yu", the Chinese character for jade, is now used to refer to many different types of gemstones that have a similar appearance to jade. But in fact there are only two varieties of gemstones that can be classified as jade - nephrite and jadeite.
Nephrite - Called "soft jade" in Chinese, it is believed to be the only type of jade used in China before jadeite was introduced to this country in 1800s. Measuring 5.5 - 6.0 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, a little softer than jadeite which measures 6.5 - 7.0, it is known for a range of colors that serves as the base to determine the class. The highest class is "mutton fat", a creamy, white color. Other colors include white, gray, green, dark green, yellow, and black. Nephrite produced in the Khotan region of Xinjiang province is the most famous. The deposit there, however, has already been depleted.
Jadeite - A rarer type of jade than nephrite, jadeite is a late comer in China's history. Introduced from Burma to China in the 19th century, it quickly became the favorite gemstone of both the ruling class and the scholar class, who were swept away by its exquisite beauty and wide range of colors. Among the over 20 different colors it shows, emerald green is the most prized.
Remember that in many local shops of Beijing, there are extraordinary jade works created by some of the best artisans in China. When you are in the city, find a Beijing guide to help you find the best shops and offer you tips on purchasing different types of products.
A common trait across all varieties of jade is having an incredibly soft, smooth, and warm appearance that sometimes belies the fact that it is actually especially hard. Beneath the hard surface, the exquisite color has a sense of purity and ephemeral beauty that seems to have been captured in eternity. For this appealing quality and other of its purported health and spiritual benefits, jade has won the hearts and minds of Chinese, who regard it as not only possessing the highest form of beauty, but representing all that is good about a virtuous gentleman. Confucius, the most famous Chinese thinker, once said: "The wise have likened jade to virtue."
The discovery of jade in the Neolithic period is believed to be a result of the ancient stone-tool making practice. On the sites of two pre-historic Chinese cultures, Liangzu and Hongshan, archaeologists found a large variety of jade artifacts used for different purposes. According to one historical account written 3,000 years ago, the mining of jade had already been practiced for several thousand years by that time. Jade works unearthed from ancient burial sites confirmed that early on the ownership of jade was considered an exclusive privilege of the ruling class.
In later periods, as Chinese society became increasingly complex, and the techniques used to create jade works were greatly improved, jade works became a popular form of art. It is said that during the Zhou dynasty, one of the most popular activities among the upper class people was decorating oneself with different jade items to show one's taste in art and knowledge of jade. During the Song dynasty, this art progressed to a high level. The creative artisans from that time invented a new variety of jade ornaments to meet people's need to appreciate the beauty of jade in new ways. During the Ming and Qing dynasty, the art of jade reached a high peak. New designs continuously emerged, and people from all strata of society owned jade to enrich their life.
The enormous influence of jade on Chinese culture even extends to language. "Yu", the Chinese character for jade, is now used to refer to many different types of gemstones that have a similar appearance to jade. But in fact there are only two varieties of gemstones that can be classified as jade - nephrite and jadeite.
Nephrite - Called "soft jade" in Chinese, it is believed to be the only type of jade used in China before jadeite was introduced to this country in 1800s. Measuring 5.5 - 6.0 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, a little softer than jadeite which measures 6.5 - 7.0, it is known for a range of colors that serves as the base to determine the class. The highest class is "mutton fat", a creamy, white color. Other colors include white, gray, green, dark green, yellow, and black. Nephrite produced in the Khotan region of Xinjiang province is the most famous. The deposit there, however, has already been depleted.
Jadeite - A rarer type of jade than nephrite, jadeite is a late comer in China's history. Introduced from Burma to China in the 19th century, it quickly became the favorite gemstone of both the ruling class and the scholar class, who were swept away by its exquisite beauty and wide range of colors. Among the over 20 different colors it shows, emerald green is the most prized.
Remember that in many local shops of Beijing, there are extraordinary jade works created by some of the best artisans in China. When you are in the city, find a Beijing guide to help you find the best shops and offer you tips on purchasing different types of products.
About the Author:
A. Lao writes about Chinese arts and crafts. He assists a personal shopping assistant. From time to time, he plans Beijing Tour Guide.
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