MINERALOGY: XIU YAN JADE
The Chinese have a long history of calling green rocks, jade or "Yu" in mandarin.
It symbolizes beauty, nobility, perfection, constancy, power, and immortality in Chinese culture.
There are many types of Jade. The most common are Jadeite, Nephrite and Xiuyan.
Western gemologists often declare that Xiuyan is not "real" jade but the Chinese have used this form of jade for centuries for exquisite carvings seen in museums today. An important member of the Chinese jade family, the Xiuyan jade is known as the "Glory of Ancient Jade, the Treasure of the Year".
The Xiu Yan Jade is mined from the Xiuyan area of Anshan, in Liaoning Province in the northeastern part of China. The jade gets its name due to the rich deposits found in this particular part of the country.
Composed mainly of (Nephrite + Serpentine) Calcium Magnesium Iron Silicate + Magnesium Iron Silicate Hydroxide. Some varieties may also contain antigorite.
Unlike the more rare and precious jade that is deep green and used primarily for fine jewelry, Xiuyan Jade belongs to the serpentine family with hard, fine and exquisite texture. This type of tough wearing jade consisting of many hues of green, is affordable in value and perfect for the use in gemstone beauty tools.
Many consider Jade as a protector of generations, living and dead. Jade has been and always will be the “Gem Supreme” and the “Jewel of Heaven,” stone of the heart. The Chinese, Maori, and Meso-American cultures, in particular, prized jade and excelled at creating amazing pieces from it. When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs valued jade many times more than its weight in gold.
Chinese believe that Jade has mystical and protective powers. My mother used to drop a piece of jade into the herbal tea she prepared for us when we were not feeling well. In China, jade was considered more precious than gold. Ancient paintings show Emperors in rich garments endowed with jade ornaments.
Jade is believed to heal the mind and body, promoting calmness and sense of balance and clarity.
Jade and the color green are associated with the liver meridian and the wood element. When the liver/gall bladder is out of balance, we experience anger.
We hope you enjoyed this small piece of information!
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GingerChi
