Chinese antique jade isn’t just beautiful in its own right, but carries a deep cultural significance for the Chinese people. Historically, it was used for jewelry, in religious ceremonies, culturally, monetarily, and was believed to hold great mystical and healing powers. Today, it’s still an important stone for the Chinese people, whether used in jewelry or in a traditional jade carving.

Its beauty is admired worldwide, and often jade appears without any link to China or its history at all, in jewelry and other mediums. While most people think all jade is green, that’s merely the most popular color. Jade actually comes in a variety of hues. The Chinese had several different stories about the origins of jade, with one of the most popular holding that when the Mongols invaded China, dragons cried for the people. Their tears became Chinese antique jade.

Jade was revered above all other stones and minerals in ancient times. It was given as an award for the winners of contests of skill, intelligence and strength. The nobility owned jade, and often carved seals and symbols were passed down through the ages, much like a crown or sceptre, as a sign of rank and honor. When someone died, jade might have been given to the grieving family and then placed in the tomb. It was a valuable stone for much more than its beauty. The Chinese people believed that there were certain qualities inherent in the stone that made it desirable. If you find Chinese antique jade, the story behind it, one you’ll likely never know, could be fascinating.

A truly ancient piece of jade could have been used in marriage, birth, death, fertility, healing or other ceremonies. It could have been an amulet used to bring luck, or keep bad luck away. It might have belonged to someone of high rank or great importance. Those who collect Chinese antique jade do so in part because of the rich history of the pieces, even if one can only guess at the true purpose of a piece. When you find a piece that speaks to you, whether anyone knows its history or not, then that’s the perfect piece for your collection.

Often you’ll find Chinese antique jade in the form of carvings. While there won’t be a date or any other outward sign of the actual age of a carving, most carvings were relatively small figures until the advent of Buddhism, when the carvings expanded in size a bit to encompass landscapes and larger scenes, including large statues of Buddha. Statues of dragons, flowers and animals were some of the most popular. If you find a rare antique jade that’s a creamy white color, it’s probably much older than the green jade.

When collecting Chinese antique jade, you may want to specialize in a particular type of jade, like carvings of a certain type, or pieces from a certain period. Places like eBay are great for looking at a variety of pieces, but find a knowledgeable dealer so you know you’re getting genuine jade.

Originally posted 2008-11-11 06:17:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

• Antique Mirrors Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Mirrors Antique mirrors are a highly collectible item, with many of the frames boasting decorative carving and detail much like elaborate, wooden picture frames of old. A mirror itself is little more than glass covering a reflective surface and not very impressive—many of us carry......
• Antique Chinese Parrot Antiques -> Asian -> Chinese If you are interested in a unique Asian collectible that is sure to get plenty of discussions going, antique Chinese parrots are an excellent choice. These delightful decorative collectibles come in many different shapes and styles and many are vibrantly colored and well designed. Most......
• Weather Vanes Antiques -> Architectural and Garden -> Weather Vanes, Lightning Rods One of the most interesting collectibles you can run across is a weather vane. These used to adorn the roofs of houses and every one in awhile you’ll still see one up there. They range from simple roosters to ornate......
• Antique Dishes Dealers -> Glass -> Plates Collecting antique dishes can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but it’s probably not going to be an easy one! Because of the wide variety of dishes available from so many sources, you’ll probably have to brush up on your knowledge of dishes and dinnerware.......
• Collectible Mantel Clocks Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Clocks Many people have a fondness for timepieces of all varieties, but collectible mantel clocks hold a special place in many collectors' hearts Perhaps because mantel clocks were placed on mantels above fireplaces years ago, in the eras before electricity and digital clocks with their......

• Different Country Garden Landscapes There are a wide variety of different types of gardens, many of which follow the same theme as country garden landscapes. There are so many different types of gardens that it can seem daunting to determine which type is going to best suit your needs. Let us start with the......
• Tips To Getting Loans While Being Self Employed by Steve Smith Some people will find owning a business or being self employed can be an obstacle when needing to take a loan. Having money to remodel your store, getting supplies or taking a vacation may seem far away. Making a living on your own doesnt mean you have......
• Promoting your Specialty Soaps and Bath Products Creating a Specialty Soaps and Bath Products shop is also a Niche Business. Although there are many such sites online, you may find that you have created products that are more saleable than most....
• We're moving A friend offered to host my blog on his server space. That means that I will be jumping ship from blogger and landing on my own domain at www.ObservingCasually.com Note: I have posted the same article in the old and new locations. If you are currently reading this, you are......
• Value of a Coin Collecting Book Collecting coins is simply a hobby or a passion for some people, but for other people it is truly a science. For at least the past century, people have been taking this hobby much more seriously and now there are a myriad of different coin collecting book options to choose......

• Stone Carvings Rocks, Fossils, Minerals Collectibles
• Chinese Asian Antiques
• Paintings, Scrolls Chinese Asian Antiques
• Men, Women, Children Statues Chinese Asian Antiques
• People Statues Yard Art Garden D cor Yard, Garden Outdoor Living