Profound, Supreme and Beautiful: China's Long-standing Jade Culture

The Chinese nation is a nation that loves jade and regards it as a mysterious ornament. Ever since the clever ancestors of Tengchong transported jade from the barren Yeren Mountain to Tengchong by carrying it on people and horses, and then used primitive methods to select the jade and make it into various ornaments, jade has been combined with the Chinese nation's thousands of years of history and culture, and since then China has had a unique jade culture.

The oriental charm displayed by jade is an important part of the splendid culture of the Chinese nation and a brilliant achievement in human art. From the Hongshan Culture and Liangzhu Culture of the Neolithic Age to the peak of jade culture in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, all reflect the long history and profoundness of Chinese jade culture. Apart from jade, no other art form can last for such a long time, cover such a vast space, and have such great vitality.

In human history, the Chinese nation is the only nation that uses and worships jade, turns jade into a culture, and integrates jade into its profound world and traditional culture. There are as many as 214 Chinese characters related to jade. Jade is a material that has been deepened by the East.

In the long course of history, the carving art that emerged from the human impulse to reflect their ideals and emotions on jadeite has reached a profound, supreme and beautiful realm through thousands of years of development.

From the primitive totem worship of the Chinese ancestors, to the slave society and feudal society that regarded jade as a symbol of power and wealth, from religious and moral standards to artistic aesthetic values, jade embodies the essence of mountains and rivers and the beauty of human righteousness. Jade culture can be said to be one of the characteristics of Chinese culture. Jade can be compared to people, jade can be used to describe things, jade can be used to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, jade can be used to express ideals, and jade can be used for health care and to ward off evil spirits. For thousands of years, jade culture has had a tremendous impact on the spirit, will, morality, and philosophy of the Chinese nation. The Chinese people cherish jade to an extremely high level, hence the sayings "A gentleman compares his virtue to jade" and "A gentleman never leaves his jade without a reason".

Xu Shen of the Eastern Han Dynasty said in Shuowen Jiezi that "the beautiful jade has five virtues. It is moist and warm, which is benevolence. The texture on the outside can be seen from the inside, which is righteousness. The sound is loud and clear, which is wisdom. It is indomitable, which is courage. It is sharp and honest but not jealous, which is cleanliness." The inheritance of jade is not only culture, art, and philosophy, but also a kind of moral cultivation. Jade is the tangible crystallization of wisdom and the intangible spiritual realm. It can cleanse people's hearts and purify human nature.

Experts use a large amount of historical data to explain the profound connotation of jade culture from both scientific and traditional perspectives:

1. The mineral components of jadeite (jade) are mainly sodium, aluminum, silicon, chromium and iron, which are exactly the important elements needed by the human body. Due to the relatively loose structure of jade and the fact that the mineral elements that make up jade are relatively active and diffuse quickly, it is easily absorbed by the human body. Therefore, long-term wearing of jade can cool the body, soothe the soul and replenish qi, benefit the blood circulation, stabilize the myocardium, normalize blood pressure, delay exhaustion, and maintain a radiant complexion.

2. People who love jade usually don't take off their jade ornaments (jade pendants, jade pendants) easily. They will rub the jade in their hands from time to time in their free time. Over time, the minerals in the jade will combine with human skin secretions, making the jade become higher and higher and more watery as they play with it. The warmth and luster of the jade will be brought out, and the jade will appear more transparent and shiny. There was once an old man who suffered from palpitations due to a long-term illness. He was often uneasy and absent-minded, and his fingers became numb and trembling. After learning how to polish jade, he bought a small piece of jade and rubbed it day and night. In the process, the blood circulation in the old man's fingers and arms gradually returned to normal. When this news came out, even the doctors were puzzled and marveled at it.

3. In ancient times, dignitaries loved to drink jade juice, which can also be called nectar. There is also a legend that if a person drinks nectar before death, it can be guaranteed that the body will not decay within three years. In addition, there was a tradition in ancient times of putting jade in the mouth of the dead, wrapping the body with jade (called wearing jade clothes), and selecting the favorite jade articles of the deceased as burial objects. This was a method of preservation to keep the essence of the corpse alive.

4. Jade protects you and brings you a peaceful life. Life is full of unexpected events. From ancient times to the present, there has been a belief that jade can exorcise evil spirits, protect against disasters, and bring happiness, good fortune, safety, and success to the wearer. In the minds of the Chinese, jade has long been a spiritual sacred stone. To this day, the Chinese use jade to protect themselves and their descendants.

Many Chinese allusions and idioms are inextricably linked to jade, such as two dragons playing with a pearl and peace and good fortune. Jade has many uses for protecting the body. Chinese people regard jade as a symbol of protecting their offspring's safe growth. Children who are frightened should wear a piece of jade, children who often make noise for no reason should wear a jade lock. Some elders tie a string of jade beads on the children's hands and sew some small jade Buddhas on their hats, in the hope of blessing the children to grow up safely and live a long life.

5. Jade also plays an irreplaceable role in the wedding customs of Tengchong people. When marrying off a daughter, parents will put something in the dowry or betrothal gift box. A small piece of gold should be placed on the left, and a small piece of jade should be placed on the right. This expresses the elders' good wishes for the newlyweds, indicating that the newlyweds are of golden branches and jade leaves, and that this marriage is a golden and jade match that will last forever.

In addition to its decorative function, people have also liked to carve gods or animals of religious beliefs into accessories, objects, handicrafts, etc. to express their blessings for a better life for themselves or others. The most common ones are the Four Spirits: dragon, phoenix, unicorn and turtle. The dragon represents the emperor, that is, a virtuous person, a hero and a talented person; the phoenix represents the empress dowager and is generally more commonly seen in women's accessories, such as phoenix crowns and hairpins; the Qilin is a benevolent animal, and it brings children and protects them so that they can become great people and succeed in their studies; the turtle is an animal that repays favors, and according to legend, it will grow hair after a thousand years, become a divine turtle after five thousand years, and become a spirit turtle after ten thousand years, so turtles are regarded as long-lived animals.

To do jade business, you must understand the profound connotation of jade culture. Explaining the benefits of jade to consumers is a long-term strategy. Many people value business over morality and engage in purely commercial hype, even selling jade on street stalls. This kind of behavior of turning treasures into waste is opposed by all consumers.

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