In Chinese Art, jade or also known as "yu" in Chinese character, is an ornamental stone used in a wide variety of jewellery art, figure carving and other types of sculpture. While the English term "jade" refers only to nephrite and jadeite, the Chinese character "yu" that means "hard ornamental stone" refers to a number of minerals including nephrite, jadeite, serpentine and bowenite. Although jade is popularly thought of as a greenish material, in China, it has always been white jade that has traditionally been more highly prized than green. The purer the colour of the jade, the higher the price it is considered.

Jade was worn by kings and nobles and after death placed with them in the tomb. As a result, the wearing and use of jade was restricted to tribal leaders, then Emperors and noblemen, and was most commonly used in the carving of ritual vessels, ceremonial utensils and other totemic objects, representing high status and power. Jade is considered to be highly prized in China because they believe that jade represents purity, beauty, longevity, even immortality. Then and now, jade displayed the owner’s wealth and served as a protective talisman to ensure longevity and good fortune.

This Imperial Chinese whitish-celadon jade mountain, early 18th century, sold for $195,200 at I.M. Chait, Beverly Hills, in 2009. The scene of two sages on a pathway near plum blossom trees beneath an incised and gilt poem would have been an object of contemplation in a scholar’s study. Courtesy: I.M. Chait

Reference

Jade Carving in China. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2017, from http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/east-asian-art/jade-carving.htm

Chinese jade: an introduction. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/imperial-china/neolithic-art-china/a/chinese-jade-an-introduction

Albertson, K. K. (n.d.). Jade : Why Some Will Pay Any Price to Own It. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from https://www.liveauctioneers.com/news/style-century-magazine/jade-why-some-will-pay-any-price-to-own-it