In-depth analysis of jade carving techniques

In the field of jade processing, this set of jade processing technology centered on cutting and carving had been mastered by craftsmen in the Shang Dynasty. It has been passed down for thousands of years, and today's jade carving techniques remain largely unchanged. Especially for jadeite, the "king of jade", the craftsmanship of cutting and carving is directly related to the artistic value and collection investment value of jadeite.

Let’s look at cutting and cutting first. This is the initial processing of the jadeite raw stone, and it is also the link that lays the foundation for a jade product, so there can be no major mistakes. The methods include sheet cutting, wire cutting and tool cutting.

The slice cutting method uses a cutting machine or an oil-immersed cutting machine to cut jade raw materials, and is currently the most common jade cutting method in China.

Wire cutting has a long history of tradition. Horsetail and horsehair rope are used as saw blades. Sand and water are continuously added, and the "saw blades" are pulled back and forth to rub and saw.

The stone cutting method is a tool that uses simple mechanical principles to rotate and cut the jade being processed. It combines the ancient method with modern electric equipment and the rotation speed can be adjusted. In this way, while the speed is increased, the sophistication of the process has also reached a new level.

Let’s talk about the polishing and carving of jade. "If jade is not carved, it will not become a useful object" is the best interpretation of this craft. If cutting and polishing are the initial processing of jadeite raw stones, then carving and polishing are the most important links in the jadeite processing process.

For jade carving masters, painting is an important step in applying art to jade raw materials in accordance with the material. It involves a series of specific issues such as how to implement design ideas on specific jade materials and how to use materials. Jade carvers must fully grasp the characteristics of the raw materials such as water quality, color, and cracks, and strive to reflect the unique beauty of material, shape, and craftsmanship of the works, highlighting the originality of each work.

Different jade carvers have different artistic qualities, practical experience, and skills. Therefore, when the understanding is vague, they have to rely on secondary, tertiary, and fourth drawings, and complete the carving work step by step based on the positions indicated by the pencil lines.

The designed jade blank still needs to be processed by a lathe. The complete lathe is called a "high stool" or "water stool", which consists of a wooden structure and iron weights. The craftsman uses his feet to pedal to make the wheel rotate, and uses water-soaked diamond abrasive to grind the jade into shape.

Therefore, jadeite and other jade articles are not carved with knives or chiseled with chisels. This new artistic charm plays an irreplaceable role in the artistic sublimation of jade.

In ancient China's traditional jade grinding technology, there are a total of 12 complex processes. That is: pounding sand, grinding slurry, opening jade, tying the stone, punching the stone, grinding the stone, hollowing out, decorating, drilling, piercing, drilling and polishing. Especially the final stage of the process, which must be completed by the top masters.

The modern jade carving industry has greatly improved its processing accuracy and speed due to the use of a large number of electric equipment and tools. However, the craftsmanship of how jade carvers make modern jade products from start to finish and how they use an artistic eye to create imaginative designs still determine the extraordinary value of jade jewelry.

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