Shining in its Own Style

3166962008-11-07 16:56:19.0Shining in its Own Style13552Customen/enpproperty-->
Shining in its Own Style

For centuries Asian rulers and the wider society has had a devoted attachment to the luxurious green stone that is jade.
Jadeite, a kind of pyroxene with a degree of hardness, found mainly in Burma was popularly used in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911).




In olden times, all men of the upper class wore personal ornaments of jade. Jade artifacts are, in fact, an important part of Chinese culture.
Jadeite, the most valued member of the jade family, became popular in China shortly after it was imported from Myanmar in the early Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). Because of its physical qualities, jade, jadeite in particular, suits the artistic and intellectual tastes of the Chinese people. The Chinese are reserved and mild. In their eyes, westerners are straight forward and aggressive, quite like the diamond.


Since 2950 BC, jade has been treasured in China as the royal gemstone, yu; the word yu is used in Chinese to call something precious. Jade was thought to preserve the body after death and can be found in emperors' tombs dating back thousands of years ago.
In addition jade was a symbol of love and virtue as well as a status symbol.
Gold may have a price, but jade is priceless
Testifying to how much the Chinese are fond of jade is this time-honored proverb: “Gold may have a price, but jade is priceless.” The value of gold can be determined by measuring its weight. Not jade. The value of a piece of jade or a jade artifact is “assessed” by taking numerous factors into account. For example, the purity and color, the sound it produces when struck, and when the jade piece was discovered or when a jade artifact was produced all contribute to affect a piece’s value.

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