Jade : The Chinese Diamond

Jade Stones “nephrite” are a mineral composed of magnesium, iron, and silicate of calcium. Usually, they are formed through extreme heat and pressure known as metamorphism. Surprisingly, it can be found on every continent in the world, including countries like New Zealand, Brazil, China (Sinkiang), Canada, Zimbabwe, and the United State. It can be found in serpentine rock, by mining, alongside riverbanks, and seashores. Due to its composition these stones are shaped and polished before it is used in massage ("Nephrite Jade Gemstone Information", 2014).

| In the industry of hand crafted goods their pottery showed various types of patterns carved or painted onto them, even stones had fine pictures painted onto them. They usually wrote in a special ink, they had various forms of writing like hieroglyphics, and self-explanatory characters. They usually carved these onto animal bones or tortoise shells. Architecture was built into houses made of wood or carved out of the earth into rows. They listened to folk music and palace music. With their practice in bronze they made fine musical instruments, people engaged into music but they were divided into 3 sections; Wu, music slavery, and Gu.

The Jade Peony represents the love that the grandmother had for the object and how she had it with her. The Jade Peony I believe also demonstrates the past present and the future of where her family is heading. The Jade Peony is important to Poh Poh,s past because it reminds her of her homeland and culture Back in China. The present is represented through the Jade Peony by now having

Flashback throughout the story to show that Grandma has passed leaving Sek-Lung with her most important possession, the jade peony symbolizes their strong bond and love. Another significant symbolism used is the white cat with the pink eyes; it symbolizes that grandma will soon be reunited spiritually with her first love, the albino juggler.

Spiritual jewelry became very popula. Pendants can represent the wish for a long life for the wearer, in some cultures.

Can you imagine that everyone rejects you just because you are a girl? That actually happened universally in the last century, specifically in the old China. The gender discrimination was deeply rooted in people’s minds and became a traditional Chinese thinking. Wayson Choy illustrates this kind of discrimination really well in his novel The Jade Peony. In the novel, Grandmother continually reminds Jook-Liang that girl-child is useless, it affect Jook-Liang thinks about people, and change the views of various people. Also, it makes her struggle to assimilate to Chinese and Canadian society. Though, she tries her best to revolt

❖ The Jade Peony The major symbol in this novel is the Jade Peony. It is Poh Poh's most valued possession. She passed it to Sek Lung after her death. The Jade Peony symbolized Old China's culture and traditions. The Jade Peony was there for Sek Lung to keep his culture in Canada. It reminds all the people in this novel of their cultural roots.

My God, am I such a jewelry fanatic! I knew as soon as I saw jewelry I had to write about it. Jewelry is something women and men but mostly women tend to adorn themselves with to either show stature, beauty or just to feel special about themselves. The Jewelry gives a lot of details on where it was made and the interesting designs on the necklace and earrings. Also, because it’s made of real gold and silver any women would be honored to wear such an amazing work of art.

The jade pendant was given to June after she volunteered to take the worst crab for dinner. When Suyuan gave this to her she said,“This is young jade. It is a very light color now, but if you wear it every day it will become more green” (208-209). The jade pendant was said to be June’s life’s importance of acceptance and kindness. The more accepting and kind June is, the better of a person she will be. The more June wears the necklace, the better it will be and the more that June displays her best qualities, the better of a person she will be. Her mother gave her this necklace, showing its importance in both of their lives and how it was passed down. Suyuan valued these qualities and was proud of her daughter for having this trait. Suyuan gave June this pendant to show how important it is to have this quality in your life. Throughout June’s stories, she is always struggling to find out who her mother was and what was important to her after her death. This is why Suyuan and June did not understand each other very well during June’s childhood. It was not until Suyuan gave June the pendant that she truly accepted June for who she is. When Suyuan gave June the pendant, she helped show her. “See, I wore this on my skin, so when you put it on your skin, then you know my meaning” (208). The pendant that was given to June and represents how she should express

Ritual Bronzes gained in popularity and importance during the Shang and Zhou dynasties (which became known as the Bronze Age in China), when bronze technology and metalworking became more complex. Bronze cups and other vessels were used for ritual sacrifices and ceremonies. Ritual bronzes during the Shang dynasty grew more intricate and larger. During the Zhou dynasty, the taotie (animal mask) motifs that were so prevalent during the Shang dynasty faded in favor of other decorations such as spikes. Ritual bronzes also came to be used to store texts and to be passed down to later

Native American art history expressed in jewelry, quillwork, beading, and creation of items for everyday living are replete in symbolism incorporating precious and semi-precious stones.

Daoism is a school of thought that played a big philosophical role in the Chinese culture. Daoism was concerned with establishing balance and harmony within society. The Ying-Yang became a significant symbol that represented the thoughts of Daoism. “As the gentle curve of the line that divides the dark half from the light half indicates, rather than struggling against each other, opposites flow into each other and work to balance each other” (190-191). I think the overall meaning behind the quote and the symbol is that there is a balance to everything within the universe. There is a little bit of good in evil, while there is a little bit of evil in good. I believe that the black and white colors in the symbol represent the smooth flow from good to evil, and vice versa.

This marks how important this building has been for the people that live in this area. For them, this pagoda is the main building where they can come to and practice their religion.

The design of an object requires the closest collaboration between the artist and the artisan. In jade work the design must be fashioned to the structure of the internal stone, to reveal the picture already wrought by nature. As this structure is revealed, the designer must be ever at hand to observe and direct the carving. My father had to not only hire the artisans carvers but also found the best masters to oversee every detail which he personally had to impart the design to.

Copper was used in limited quantities for beads and simple tools, but most implements were knapped from stone. Palettes made of stone were used for grinding eye paint. Small sculptures and figurines were either carved from ivory and bone or modelled in clay.