Jade, Blue

History of Jade

Imperial Jade

Jadeite and Nephrite are two distinct minerals, both of which are commonly called “Jade.” Jade has been treasured since the dawn of history in Eastern Asia and Central/South America, where most of the larger deposits are found. In China and Japan, as well as in the Aztec language, the words for “Jade” and “precious stone” are, in fact, identical. In Eastern Asia, Jade has much of the same allure that diamonds do in the West. In fact, the most desirable form of Jade, “Imperial Jadeite” (vibrant emerald green), has been sold for millions per carat on the modern market. Only a single gemstone, the vivid “Pink Star Diamond,” has commanded a better price per carat!

Long before the dawn of civilization, early man was attracted to Jade, for both utility and beauty. Jade can hold an edge better than most stones, and so was made into prehistoric ax-heads, hammers, carving implements, and other sharp tools. The oldest known Jade tool has been dated between 8000-9000 BCE! Because Jade can be easily carved and polished, it has also been used to make statues and charms for thousands of years. Jade carvings often carry deep meanings, making them more than just simple decorations. For example, in China a carving of a Jade mountain symbolizes the wish for a long life, while a Jade butterfly symbolizes the immortality of the soul and power of love.

Because Jadeite and Nephrite look very similar, they were not scientifically distinguished as two separate minerals until 1863. However, master Chinese craftsmen have long noticed that some Jade (specifically that from Myanmar/Burma) is harder and denser, and also is somewhat easier to carve and takes a higher polish. As a result, it became the preferred variety, especially when found with a vivid color. This type of Jade is now known as Jadeite. All other Jades, including those found in the Americas, are properly called Nephrite.

The greatest source for Jade lore comes from China. According to one legend, Jade is the petrified tears of dragons who have cried whenever China was conquered by invaders. Another story relates that Jade is the concentrated essence of true love. As a result, Jade is traditionally often given to newlyweds,  and is said to assure the quick and easy birth of an heir. Newborn babies in the East have worn Jade amulets to protect them from childhood diseases for centuries. Countless generations of businessmen have carried Jade in their pockets to help them during negotiations, while many farmers traditionally bury Jade near their crops to protect them from both heavy rain and drought.

Among the Chinese royal and noble classes, Jade’s allure was even more marked. In the Chinese writing system, the original word for “king” took the form of a string of Jade beads. Confucius wrote about the “eleven virtues of Jade,” which corresponded with the ethical behavior of the feudal upper class. For example, Jade’s soft glossy texture symbolized the importance of “benevolence.” Confucius himself was closely linked to Jade. According to legend, his birth was announced by a unicorn who gave his mother a Jade tablet, and proclaiming that he would be the greatest of all philosophers, and a “throneless” king.

Chinese religious ceremonies and Feng shui also call for Jade ornaments, of specific shapes and colors. A piece of round Green Jade symbolizes heaven, while a square of Yellow Jade symbolizes earth. When used together, they symbolize the soul in balance. Black Jade was for the North, Red Jade for South, White Jade for West, and Green Jade for East, when used together they are thought to bring harmony to a person or space.

Jade holds an especially important place in the Tao religion. For example the supreme god is known as the Jade Emperor, who lives in a Jade Palace, on top of a Jade Mountain, 3000 feet in circumference and height. At the foot of the Jade Mountain, is the Jade Lake, near which blooms the Jade Tree, which can give immortality. The Jade Emperor has the power to grant earthly prayers and it is to him that most devotees address their pleas.

Jade also holds an important place in traditional Chinese medicine. It is typically powdered or reduced into pebbles the size of rice grains, and ingested. It is said to relieve heart-burn and asthma, strengthen the lungs and heart, as well as increase the sheen of the hair. When Jade is made into a tonic with rice and dew-water, it is said to strengthen the muscles, improve flexibility, and calm the mind. When mixed instead with gold or silver, it was said to prolong life itself.

Similarly, Jade was given special meaning in Central and South America. It was used for medicinal purposes, buried with nobles, and used to bring man into peace and harmony with his environment. Many examples of fine Jade carvings have been found belonging to the Mayan, Aztec, and the mysterious Olmec civilizations. Natives in Brazil have handed down Jade amulets for generations, believing that they protect the family against diseases and poison. A similar tradition was also followed in New Zealand among the Maori. They believed that precious Jade could only be found with the help of a wizard, who was aided by the spirits of the dead. When a piece of Jade was found, it would be carved to represent ancestors, and passed down through the male line as a source of power and strength.

Because Jade wasn’t introduced to Europe until the 16th century, it was not included in ancient or medieval European lapidaries, texts which describe gemstones and their powers. It is thought that Marco Polo described Jade in his travels, possibly even visiting a Nephrite mine in central Asia in 1295. Marco Polo refers to the stone as a “jasper,” a generic term during the medieval period referring to any variety of green stone. In the 14th century lapidary by Chevalier Jean de Mandeville, there is a stone called Silente which most likely was a reference to Jade. Accordingly, Silente, “waxes and wanes like the moon. It protects pregnant women and helps them deliver on time. It brings peace and agreement and helps to reconcile lovers. It raises the morals and lessens inflammation.”

Jade was properly introduced to Europe by explorers returning from the New World, and it is from this period that we can trace the etymological origin of the names, Nephrite and Jadeite. In Europe, Jade was originally called by the Greek names, lapis nephriticus (stone for the kidneys) and the Spanish name, piedra de hijada (stone of the flank) since Jade was used by the Aztecs to treat kidney and bowel conditions. Over time, piedra de hijada became first l’ejade, and then simple “Jade.”  When gemologists discovered that Jade was actually two minerals in the nineteen century, they called the more precious variety “Jadeite” and used “Nephrite,” from lapis nephriticus, for the more common variety.

The foundation for European beliefs about Jade can be traced to a 16th century medical book. In 1569, Dr. Nicolas Monardes of Seville, a Spanish physician and botanist, made the first European reference to Jade in his Historia medicinal de las cosas que se traen de nuestras Indias Occidentales (Medical Study of the Products Imported from our West Indian Possession). Dr. Monardes described the physical appearance of Nephrite Jade and how it was commonly carved in Central America. He then wrote, “The Indians used to wear them attached for kidney or gastric pains, for they had marvelous efficiency for both these infirmities…This stone has an occult property by means of which it exercises a wonderful prophylactic effect [preventing diseases].”  To further illustrate his point, he included descriptions of various European gentlemen and noble ladies who had worn Jade to overcome various illnesses or reduce pain. For centuries afterward, many physicians and noble patients wore Jade bracelets or beads to cure numerous ailments. Some recommended that Jade be worn constantly, while others cautioned against overuse, so that the body wouldn’t become too tolerant of it, causing it to be less effective over time.

Vonson Blue Jade is a rare form of Jadite.  It was named after its discoverer, Magnus Vonson, an amateur mineralogist.  Vonson found the Jadite on his ranch in Marin County, California in 1949.  He mined it for a year and then closed it. The mine reopened in 2011 but is rumored to have since played out.

Photos: Imperial Jade, Dragon, Jade Emperor, Olmec Mask