Jade: like virtue and its brightness represents heaven

Jade History and Lore

Confucius described the Chinese love of jade by comparing its qualities to the virtues of a gentleman, “esteemed by all under the Sun.” Xu Shen, an ancient Han scholar, listed the five virtues of jade in his Great Dictionary as “charity, rectitude, wisdom, courage, and equity.”

The ancient Chinese considered jade the most precious and most beautiful natural material. It was carved as early as the Neolithic period (c. 3500-2000 BCE) when it was used to make sacrificial and ritual objects, especially in the Hongshan and Liangzhu cultures. However, it was the aesthetic quality of jade and an increasing association with moral ideas of purity and goodness ascribed to it by Confucian thought that ensured the precious stone would continue for centuries as the most desired decorative material. No doubt due to its high value, it also became associated with the aristocracy and it was regarded as virtuous for gentlemen to adorn their houses, and especially their writing desks, with aesthetically pleasing yet functional objects carved from jade. Another strength of jade was the belief that, as it was considered indestructible, it imparted some sort of immortality on its owner, and for this reason, jade objects were frequently buried with the dead.

The ancient relationship between this gemstone and humanity persisted into modern times among native societies in New Zealand and parts of North America. In China, it evol  ved into an artistic tradition that has flourished for more than 3,000 years.
In Central America, the Mayans and the Aztecs prized jadeite jade. They used it for medicinal purposes as well as for jewelry, ornaments, and religious artifacts. The name jade comes from the Spanish expression piedra de ijada—literally “stone of the pain in the side.” Early Spanish explorers named it after they saw natives holding pieces of the stone to their sides to cure or relieve various aches and pains. Jadeite also symbolizes prosperity, success, and good luck.

Sheng Liu’s jade burial suit (Xihan Dynasty, 206 BCE–8 CE) was unearthed in Mancheng, China, in 1968. Approximately 1.88 m long, the suit is composed of 2,498 jade tablets sewn together with approximately 1,100 grams of gold wire. It is the earliest and best-preserved jade burial suit in the history of Chinese archaeological excavation (Yang et al., 2005). Photos by Lin Xu (top) and Tian Wang (bottom), from Hebei Museum.

Jade Dragon  Period: Neolithic (4000 BC)   Image Source: The Palace Museum

Carved from a single block of yellow-green amphibole jade, the Jade Dragon is long and cylindrical overall, with a graceful rainbow-shaped curve as its body curves into a C-shape. The head of the Jade Dragon is carved with long, poke-shaped eyes protruding from the head, with a single shaded line outlining the edges. The muzzle is long and convex, the nose is upturned, and the mouth and lower jaw are carved with a few concise shaded lines. The long hyena at the back of the head is vivid and the edge is blade-like. The body of the dragon is bare, limbless, and clawless, without horns or scales, and the body resembles a snake, vigorous and powerful.

Jade Types

Two different gem materials can correctly be called jade. Jadeite is one of them, and the other is nephrite. Both are metamorphic rocks made up of tiny interlocking mineral crystals. These interlocking crystals make both gems exceptionally tough.

Jade rates a 6-7 on the hardness scale. It is an extremely strong stone and resists breakage like no other stone. The color of jade can range from shades of green and blue to yellow, red, white, lavender, gray, and black. Jade is never completely transparent but the closer the stones come to be translucent, the more value they have. Very fine, almost transparent white jade can be of equal value to a diamond. Collectors of green jade which is almost emerald, along with fine blue jade, prize the stones as much as any other precious stone. Jade is found in metamorphic rocks and as alluvial pebbles or boulders.

Jadeite jade comes in a variety of colors. Green is the most valuable. - Courtesy Mason-Kay Fine Jade Jewelry

Jadeite Ring    Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)   Image Source: The Palace Museum This jadeite ring has a 'Baohua Pure Gold' (Baohua zujin) seal mark on its inner side. In the late-Qing period (Qing dynasty, 1644–1911), its value increased, and luxurious jewelry was made with stone. The inner band is made of gold while the jadeite serves as the outer band. This cut of jadeite has an opulent, even hue of green. Nowadays, many casual observers neglect jadeite’s high degree of transparency as the brilliant green color exhausts their attention. This pleasing shade of green makes for an ideal piece of jewelry.

Jade Carving

Jade carving is one of the oldest and most important art forms in China, a craft steeped in history and tradition that reflects Chinese philosophy and culture (Thomas and Lee, 1986). Carving, called Zhuo and Zhuo mo in Chinese, represents the arduous process of shaping and decorating an intractable material with abrasives to create the desired object (Hansford, 1950; Sax et al., 2004). During its more than 5,000-year history (table 1), Chinese jade carving has experienced five peaks—the late Neolithic Age (circa 3500–2070 BCE), the late Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE), the Zhanguo Period (475–221 BCE), the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), and the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911)—and was influenced by politics, economics, culture, and war (Kong, 2007).

After Emperor Qianlong abdicated in 1795, the development of jade carving craftsmanship was relatively stagnant (Thomas and Lee, 1986). With the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, the royal demand for jade carving faded. During that period, the folk workshops mainly focused on the carving of common jade wares such as jewelry and vessels. After 1949, state-owned jade carving factories were established one after another, with an increasing number of employees and the gradual popularization of electrically powered tools. In 1978, China opened its economy to the outside. With the support of the government, influenced by jade merchants and carvers from Taiwan and Hong Kong, and driven by an expanded domestic consumer market, China’s modern jade carving industry has seen a period of vigorous development.

Table 2 shows that over 5,000 years of Chinese jade culture, the development of carving tools has featured two trends: tool speed becoming increasingly faster, and grinding powder becoming increasingly harder. The evolution of tools improved processing conditions for carvers. As a result, Chinese jade carving moved toward greater diversity, complexity, and delicacy. Consider the shapes, for example. During the Xia, Shang, and Xizhou Dynasties, jade wares were mainly two-dimensional tablet shapes. With advances in tools and craftsmanship, the forms gradually became three-dimensional. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, most jade wares displayed rounded shapes.

Although each of the five stages in Table 2 corresponds to a certain historical period, any craft or technology progresses gradually through exploration and creation. The accumulation of experience takes a long time. The refinement of a craft is first tested on a small scale and then gradually promoted and popularized. Therefore, a change in dynasty does not necessarily represent the immediate progress of a craft.

This gem-inlaid gold base in the shape of a lotus is topped with a carved jade dragon and cloud (Ming Dynasty, 1368–1644). The white nephrite adopts the multi-layered three-dimensional piercing technique with exquisite details. Photo by Yuetong Li, Hubei Provincial Museum.

These four photos of a bodhisattva illustrate the modern manual carving process, which includes four steps (left to right): material selection and examination, design, carving, and polishing. Photos by Xiaodong Wang.

A look at the evolution of Chinese jade carving tells us that every step forward in tools and production technology is immediately reflected in craftsmanship. In the contemporary era, the development of artificial intelligence and industrial automation will continue to boost mechanization and large-scale production in the Chinese jade carving industry. These trends will further contribute to the sustained improvement of the creative design and cultural value of jade carvings.

Jade Symbolism and Role

Guang Yang’s “Incense Pot” in nephrite. Photo © The British Museum (2017.3033.1).

The Chinese believed that since jade objects lasted so long, they were linked to immortality. They believe jade also brings good luck, benevolence, purity, and enhanced intelligence. In the West, jade is thought to be a stone that can help the wearer be more relaxed and calm. Overall, jade has always been said to bring its owner power, knowledge, pure thoughts, and long life. There are many beliefs in jade's healing influences- especially in healing ailments of the eyes, nervous system, and organs, especially the kidneys.

The Spanish conquistadores adopted the use of jade when they invaded Central America. They often wore amulets made from the stone. Jade was also used by ancient South American cultures in ornamental objects and aaxxe heads. The ancient Mexican hieroglyph for precious stones refers primarily to jade. Maori tribes in New Zealand made their legendary war clubs and ceremonial carvings out of jade. The Spanish conquistadores called jade piedra de hijada (loin stone) or Piedra de Los ringtones (kidney stone), believing it prevented or cured ailments in those areas.

Jadeite Belt Hook with Chi-Dragon Design  Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911)   Image Source: The Palace Museum

Mannssi's traditional Chinese jewelry collection features products inspired by traditional Chinese auspicious elements, carving jade into the shapes of gourds, happy characters, and round beads, combining jade pendants with 18K gold and freshwater pearls, adding a traditional touch of oriental aesthetics to the modern aesthetic.