The Mystery of Jade
The Mystery of Jade
Throughout The Illustrious History of China Ancient Jade was considered the most noble of all gems; to the extent that it was simply designated under the name Yü, “precious stone”. During the first portions of the Neolithic Period we see Nephrite Jade being considered so powerful of a stone that only the Shamanic Kings could own it and the first items of religious significance were created from it. Jade has always played an important part in Chinese history, so much so it was once said, “If jade and pearls were lost from the Kingdom there would be nothing left for thieves to steal”. Yü means “treasure” in Chinese the way “gold” means “wealth” in English. According to myth, the stone was born during a storm, and for this reason every home had jade in its foundations to keep lightning at bay. According to another myth, the stone was crystallized moonlight that came from the holy mountains. It was naturally the royal stone, and believed to be the incarnation of the cosmic principle. As such, it was said to possess the five essential virtues of Chinese philosophy: compassion, modesty, courage, justice and wisdom – but it was also credited with benevolence, knowledge, righteousness, virtuousness, purity, endurance, ingenuousness, morality and music. A disciple of Confucius once asked him why men valued jade more than serpentine. “Is it because jade is scarce and serpentine is abundant?” Confucius replied: “It is not, but it is because men of olden days regarded it as a symbol of the virtues. Its gentle, smooth, glossy appearance suggests charity of heart; its fine close texture and hardness suggests wisdom; it is firm and yet does not wound, suggesting duty to one’s neighbor; it hangs down as though sinking, suggesting ceremony; struck, it gives a clear note, long drawn out, dying gradually away and suggesting music; its flaws do not hide its excellence’s, nor do its excellence’s hide its flaws, suggesting loyalty; it gains our confidence, suggesting truth; its spirituality is like the bright rainbow, suggesting the heavens above; its energy is manifested in hill and stream, suggesting the earth below; as articles of regalia it suggests the exemplification of that which there is nothing in the world of equal value, and thereby is Tao itself.”