|
|
|
|
|
|
Chinese
Jade
Nephrite
|
|
In China
is no
jadeite, this
mineral come
from Myanmar. Oriental jade is
used for jewelry
and
other
items since thousands
of years.
|
|
|
|
Over a long period of
time people thought a oriental jade mine,
actually
nephrite, is only in
China, which was wrong. The real good stuff
was and is jadeite, this is mined in
Myanmar also known as Burmese jadeite, it was
smuggled over the border,
became Yunnan jadeite and then it was Chinese
jade.
Nephrite has been used for jewelry, art,
burial suits and everyday used items
throughout around 5 millenniums. There are
indications for even a wider timeframe since
some fragments have been excavated from a
Neolithic period environment.
Simple jadeite
items
were excavated
are from Shang Period (18th to
12th century BC) and Han Period (220 to
around 206 BC) over time the items more
sophisticated objects such as
animal and decorative items. Around
Neolithic times nephrite was dominant in
China for everyday use items,
ceremonial purpose and some jewelry.
Another main use at that
time and before was for weapons such as
arrows tips, knives, daggers and household
tools.
Jade history
tells
that China had a
strong relation
with oriental
jade or
nephrite. When
talked about it
always means
nephrite.
After it comes
to the market as
Yunnan jade and,
voila, its
Chinese.
Nephrite
which looks
alike is found
in
Chinese
Turkestan,
Yarkand,
Hotan
and around
Lake Baikal
in Siberia.
Hotan and
Yakand were on
the trade route
between between
China's Han
dynasty and the
Roman Empire.
This is a very
long route by
which silk, a major
export
trade
item of
that time was
carried
by long
caravans
to the west
until around the
16.th century
when Portuguese
started their
trade offensive
to the east,
more.
This trade road
become
known as
Silk
Road.
From
Khotan
Khotan
Xinjiang
Map
|
|
and
Yakand
nephrite
stones
were
brought
to China
which
were in
great
demand,
whenever
there
was
turmoil
or war
the Silk
Road was
closed
and
nephrite
imports
suspended.
Today nephrite
is rather low
priced jewelry
items today.
In
China it is sold
through many
outlets even in supermarkets, but the expensive items are sold at jewelry shops. |
Jade
arrowheads,
Chinese
jade
nephrite.
|
Chinese jade
was,
since Neolithic
times manufactured
into daggers,
axes,
spearheads,
arrowheads, and
every day use
items found at
excavations from
ancient China.
Since those have
been from
Shang,
Chou and
Han
period its a
good evidence
for a
|
Neolithic
Chinese
jade
dagger |
|
long use
timeframe. China
and
Burma
or
Myanmar
is very deeply
connected
in terms
of the
green
stones.
Chinese
merchants
did
brisk
business
since
hundreds
of years
over the
southern
border
between
Yunnan
and
Burma.
In 1857
when
King Mindon
of Burma moved
the capital from
Amarapura to
Mandalay
Chinese
jade merchants also
moved and
started a
cutting and
carving cottage
industry at
Mandalay.
At
1861 a merchant
from
Canton
visited Mandalay
and bought all
jadeite stones
and items
available in
town to take
them back to
China. He sold
them all after
arrival and
became instantly
a very rich man.
The news spread
and people from
Yunnan
came down to
Mandalay and
applied for a
royal permit to
mine for
oriental jade, they took it back to Yunnan and suddenly it was Chinese jade.
There was a rush
in
Mogaung,
upper Burma,
many of the
would be miners
died of malaria,
or were looted
and killed by
gangsters at the
trade route. |
Jadeite Stones |
|
|
Raw jade Xiuyan
mine,
Oriental
Jade. |
A typical
jade mining
area is Phar
Kant in north
west Myanmar the
jade mine and
mines mines are
at
Myitkyina
District of
Kachin State
not far off from
India, that's
about one
thousand
kilometers north
of Yangon. Phar
Kant is
Shan
language and
means "the place
where the wall
is cut off". The
jadeite mining
area is around
200 sqkm. Before
oriental jade
was found the
area was totally
empty of people
now its heavy
populated with
Myanmar people and
Chinese who try
to make quick
cash with
oriental jade.
Plenty of
Myanmar
companies paid
quite some money
for the mining
licenses, most
area is already
denuded, hills
are dug into and
at every
possible place,
bulldozers are
moving and
drilling is done
with |
|
|
|
|
heavy
equipment
to find
the
valuable
stones.
Since
Chinese people
across the
border prosper
the jade rush is
on, prices
rise and
fortunes are
made, its
somehow like the
gold rush in the
West US. The
main share on
the mining
business have 5
private
companies in
cooperation with
the state.
Jade
Mining
Chinese
jade or
nephrite
mines
are
plenty
in
Qiemo,
Xinjiang
at the
southeast
end of
the
Tarim
Basin,
around
the
Kunlun
Mountains
and near
to the
Taklimakan
Desert.
There
still
are
plenty
of
Nephrite
resources
and they
are
traded
at the
jade
bazaar.
Traders
buy and
sell the
stones
by kilo,
this is
more or
less raw
material
at
wholesale.
In
recent
years
China
has
changed
some
laws to
allow
more
exploration
for
mineral
resources
in the
country
which
was
under
strict
control
of the
state.
The
current
area for
Chinese
jade exploration
on
minerals
is
around
6000 sqkm.
Known
reserves
are at
around
10
locations,
at Kesu,
nephrite
or Chinese
jade is
found
and
reserves
are
estimated
at
around 2
million
tons.
In 1995
a
nephrite green
stone
with
1500
kilograms
was
found,
part of
this
mined
minerals
are
exported
to
various
countries
in Asia.
This is
Qiemo
area and
most of
the
mines
are in
the
Altun
Mountain
stretching
over 100
km.
Mining
is done
at
around
3,500
meters
above
sea
level,
this are
the
Hotan
jade
mines
which
produce
around
70% of
the
mineral
in
Xinjiang.
|
Hotan
jade
mines
Chinese
Jade
Mine |
|
Nephrite |
Nephrite
is the
real old true
Chinese jade,
the colors are
not as good as
jadeite has and
it is slightly
softer. Today
nephrite comes
in cabochon cut,
round beads used
in necklaces or
as carvings,
shades tend to
be darker and
some are real
dark which leads
to black jade.
A
Oriental jade
mine in Myanmar
has deposits in
|
Chinese
jade
Nephrite
Boulder |
|
|
|
jadeite only, no
nephrite this is
what they call
Chinese jade.
Most very old
pieces of
Chinese jade are
nephrite.
Nephrite is
mined in many
countries,
including the US
and New Zealand.
Since nephrite
is much more
abundant than
jadeite its much
less expensive
and that makes
it very popular
among Chinese.
Nephrite
is
used since several
thousands of
years, over time
people in China
became real
artists in
carving
nephrite.
Popular carvings
are jewelry and
sculptures in
particular a
Jade Buddha.
All quality gem
today is jadeite
when the item
has a real
brilliant green
color, excellent
texture and a
good amount of
translucency
prices are very
high, but people
are buying. |
Chinese
Jade
cabochons,
China
jadeite
|
|
| |
|
To ancient
Chinese, Chinese jade
or nephrite was also a
revered stone
which commands
its importance
in their
cosmology and
rituals. Chinese
believed that
the world was
surrounded by
water, and the
breath or
influence of
nature affect
both living and
dead. The fate
of man is
determined by
cosmological
influences. They
developed a sort
of
quasi-scientific
system
instructing men
where and how to
build dwellings,
graves and
temples so that
the living, the
dead and the
gods be properly
located under
the auspicious
influence of
nature.
Fair and good
rains are the
main elements of
life and to get
them regularly
ancient Chinese
propitiated gods
and goddesses in
Heaven, Earth,
and the Four
Points of the
Universe.
Various colors
of jade were
associated with
the colors of
Heaven, Earth,
East, West,
North and South.
Hence six jade
objects were
specially carved
to pay homage to
these six
cosmological
Deities. They
are: (1) round
jade tablet "pi"
of bluish color
to worship
Heaven (the sky
is blue), (2)
yellow (or
brownish) jade
tube "ts'ung" to
worship Earth
(the earth is
either yellow or
brownish), (3)
green jade
tablet of "kuei"
to worship the
East, (4) white
jade tablet in
the shape of
tiger "hu" to
worship the
West, (5) red
jade tablet
"chang" to
worship the
South, and (6)
black jade piece
of semicircular
shape to worship
the North. The
Four Points of
the Universe are
guarded by
animal symbols.
The ancient
Chinese regarded
jade
important
because they
believed that
Great Mother
Goddess created
it for the
benefit of
mankind. So jade
is the panacea,
the elixir of
life, preserving
for things
material,
concentrate of
ethical and
spiritual
values, the most
revered stone of
religious and
ritual
importance and
symbol of luck
and social
status.
Today, these
superstitions
are of course
losing ground,
and yet jade is
still in
increasing
demand not only
by the Chinese
but also by
people the world
over. Two
reasons seem to
explain it:
First, exquisite
dresses and
elaborate
jewellery are
coming back into
fashion in both
women and men's
worlds.
Comparatively
Chinese jade is cheaper
for making
ornaments.
Besides its
hardness and
different
attractive
colors offer a
wide range of
choices for
those who have
the flair for
good jewellery.
Secondly,
inflation of
money on a
global scale
since the latter
part of the
present century
(20th century)
has driven
people crazy
looking for ways
and means of
sustaining the
value of their
cash. Gold is
hoarded,
expensive
diamonds are
stocked, land
and houses are
bought up. But
only the rich
could afford to
take such
precautionary
measures. For
middle class
people investing
their money in
not
too-expensive
things such as
semiprecious
gems from
Chinese jade,
pearls, and
objects d'art
and antiques is
the sure way of
hedging their
savings against
inflation.
Text in the blue
box is from Dr.
Khin Maung Nyunt |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| © Copyright
jade-jadeite.com , all rights reserved. |
|
|
|
