 The word "jade" communicates a
sense of mystery. In Chinese, "jade" (yu) refers to a fine,
beautiful stone with a warm color and rich luster, that is skillfully and
delicately carved. In Chinese culture, jade symbolizes nobility, perfection,
constancy, and immortality. They believed that one of their eight immortals,
Ho Hsien-Ku, gained eternal life by taking a powder of pulverized jade
and mother-of-pearl. For millennia, jade has been an intimate part of
the lives of Chinese of all ranks and classes. It is viewed as the most
valuable of all precious stones.
Jade is found in mountains
and riverbeds, and Chinese consider jade to be "the essence of heaven and
earth." When polished and carved into various articies, jade is attributed
with certain cultural characteristics. In ancient Chinese cosmology, the
firmament was considered to be round, and the earth square. Thus a round
jade ceremonial ornament with a hole in the center, called a bi,
was carved to honor the gods of heaven, and a long hollow jade ornament with
rectangular sides, called a cong, was made to honor the spirits
of earth. According to ancient Chinese legend, the phoenix and the dragon
are animal deities that were the life-source of family clans. For this
reason, jade was often used as a material for carving phoenixes and dragons
worn as ornaments. These ornaments symbolized the noble bearing of a
gentleman, and are the origin of the Chinese saying: "The gentleman's
morals are like jade."
Jade refers to two minerals, nephrite and
jadeite, which vary in chemical composition but are not obviously different in appearance.
Both minerals may vary in color from a translucent greyish-white to yellowish hues,
into the rarer brown and violet. The popular bright green jade of which beads, jewelry
and larger objects are usually made is jadeite.
Jade ornaments have remained
popular up until the present day. Today in the Republic of China, the
purchase, wearing, and giving of jade items as gifts is still very common.
Jade is viewed as an ideal gift for couples making a mutual commitment, and
for one's children when they get married. Even now, the Chinese retain the
idea that in addition to being beautiful, jade can protect from misfortune
and bring good luck.
Care and Use
To assure the longevity of your jade teapot please follow these basic
guidelines:
Use the jade teapot to brew tea, not as a stove-top kettle.
Do not scrub the jade teapot with abrasive pads or use harsh
detergents. Simply rinse it with plain water and wipe it dry after each use.
By following these guidelines, your jade teapot will provide many
years of enjoyment.
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