For 5,000 years jade has been treasured in China as the royal gemstone 'yu'. The word is used in Chinese for something precious, as in English we use 'gold'.
Jade became in China a sign of imperial power with occult properties. Believing it preserves the body after death - and forms a link between this world and the spiritual realms beyond. Chinese jade first arrived in the West during the sixteenth century, brought from Canton by the Portuguese.
Today jade continues to be a symbol of love, virtue, and status. With Chinese carvings reaching the highest value. The best jade has a waxy, pearly appearance. Feeling cool and so smooth, it seems soft to the touch. Yet hard enough that pressure from a sharp knife will not leave a mark.
Brought wholesale from the Canton Jade Market, China. One-of-a-Kind.
I have a few of these – but all are hand-carved and one-of-a-king – so may be very-slightly different colors to picture. Size: 1 5/8 inches deep. Hole drilled ready for hanging.
