History of Jade

Jade, pronounced “yu” in Chinese, refers to a fine, beautiful stone with a warm color and rich luster that is skillfully and delicately carved. Jade can come in all colors of the rainbow, depending on the minerals present in it. In Chinese culture, Jade symbolizes nobility, perfection, constancy and immortality. It is viewed as the most valuable of all precious stones.

Jade is an essence produced through the natural forces of rivers and mountains over eons and is considered to be “the essence of heaven and earth.” However, if it is not skillfully cut and polished, there is no way for the potential richness and luster that people prize to be expressed. The Chinese have a saying that goes, “If jade is not properly cut, it cannot be made into a useful utensil.” Cutting is an important step in the process of producing jade articles.

In ancient Chinese cosmology, the firmament was considered to be round, and the earth square. Thus a round jade ceremonial ornament with a hole in the center, called a pi, was carved to honor the gods of heaven, and a long hollow jade ornament with rectangular sides, called a ts’ung, was made to honor the spirits of the earth. It is believed that jade took on the power to protect from the devil, guard against evil spirits, and cleanse people’s souls. It is believed that when jade is worn over time, it would accumulate good energy and in time of need, it will break or lighten to release this energy to protect the wearer.

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