The history of jade culture stretched back thousands of years. Gems such as diamond only entered Chinese culture relatively recently.Jade, regarded as the legacy of the stone age and the essence of the mountains and rivers, has occupied an important role in Chinese culture ever since the Neolithic period from B.C. 4000  Jade reflected many Chinese beliefs and values in ancient China. Scientific studies done on archaeological finds in  China have revealed that many prehistoric cultures existed before the three dynasties of Hsia, Shang,and Western Zhou (B.C 2000 to B.C. 771).  One of them (Western part of Liaoning to the Eastern part of Inner Mongolia) known as Hong Shan (Red Hill) Culture,where many jade artefacts were unearthed during the excavation, among them was the first jade dragon. (Pig head with a snake body). It can be considered to be the beginning of Jade Culture in China.

In ancient China, nephrite jade was used for tools, weapons, and ornaments (Hansford, 1950). Jade’s antiquity contributes an aura of eternity to this gem. Members of the noble class valued jade highly.  Confucius once said  "A gentelman always carried a jade pendant, as a symbol of class and to remind him the virtues of a gentelman, since those virtues were found in jade".  He also praised jade as a symbol of righteousness and knowledge. According to Shuo Wen compiled by Xu Shen of the Eastern Han, the five virtues of jade were: benevolence, integrity, intelligence, bravery and trustworthiness which were exactly expected of a gentleman.  

Jade (Stone of Heaven by the Chinese) is priceless
Testifying to how much the Chinese are fond of jade is this time-honoured proverb: “Gold may have a price, but jade is priceless.” The value of gold can be determined by measuring its weight. Not jade. The value of a piece of jade is “assessed” by taking numerous factors into account. For example, the luster, purity and color, the sound it produces when struck, and when the jade piece was discovered or when and where a jade artefact was produced can affect a piece’s value.  

The beauty of jadeite and its cultural connotations
Since ancient times, men of moral integrity have been seen as processing the fine qualities of jade: tenderness, modesty, urbanity, among them. In the eyes of the Chinese, jade is not as shiny or sparkling as other precious stones such as diamonds, which some believe characterizes people who are aggressive or arrogant. Because of its physical qualities, jade, jadeite in particular, suits the artistic and intellectual tastes of the Chinese people,” said Ouyang Chiumei, a world-renown expert in jade. “The Chinese are reserved and mild. In their eyes, westerners are straight forward and aggressive, quite like the diamond.”

Jadeite market is thriving
Jadeite, the most valued member of the jade family, became popular in China shortly after it was imported from Myanmar in the early Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). While some traditionalists feel that it lacks the rich history of nephrite, nevertheless the “emerald” green color of Imperial jadeite is the standard by which all jades – including nephrite – are judged by most Chinese enthusiasts today .In China , the jadeite market has become increasingly brisk along with the boom of the national economy. Prices for top-class jadeite articles have increased several times over the past year,

 

 

Changing trend
Jadeite is becoming increasingly popular in western countries, at a time when more and more Chinese are taking a liking to diamonds. “Westerners are fascinated not only by the fine stone itself, but more importantly by the cultural messages it carries,”

Collect Jadeite Jade - why?
“Buy antiques in times of peace and prosperity, and gold in times of turmoil,” so the Chinese proverb goes.  Prices are likely to continue to rise. One of the reasons is the shortage of supply. Jadeite is produced only in Myanmar. Jadeite deposits were formed over millions of years, but these are being rapidly depleted due to excess mining. In the past, jadeite pieces were collected by simple digging near the rivers. Nowadays the precious stone is being mined from the mountains. As the precious stone is becoming rare, investing in jadeite could be a good idea for long term investors / collectors. 

Prerequisite to invest in jadeite
To be a good investor in jadeite, “First you have to invest in your knowledge of the precious stone. Only when you turn yourself into a jadeite expert can you start thinking about investing in jadeite. You have to understand what kind of items are worth investing in.  There are so many fake and substandard items on the market that lots of consumers have been cheated."