Is China the Empire of Jade?
In some Westerners’ eyes, China is extremely fond of jade. For instance, the Bioware game “Jade Empire” is set in a mythical, medieval China. However, what is jade? In many cases, “jade” is used to translate the Chinese word “Yu”, but, are they the same thing?
In geological and chemical terms, there is nephrite, which is hornblende containing calcium-magnesium silicate, and jadeite, which is pyroxene containing sodium-aluminum silicate. Both nephrite and jadeite are referred to as jade in English.
However, this mineralogical method was not applicable in traditional China. The Chinese term “Yu” is rather a cultural term than a technical one. “Yu” in the broad sense means any beautiful stone. “Yu’ in the narrow sense must have the following five attributes: 1) warm and suave, 2)fine and close, 3) congruent in texture, 4) melodious in sound, and 5) not hurtful when broken. What stone has all the five attributes? The Hetian Yu in Xinjiang, northwest China. Strictly speaking, only Hetian Yu is the true Yu. Beautiful stones from other areas, even those with similar chemical composition, cannot be called Yu.
We can understand this because Yu is precious and important for Chinese people not for its chemical composition, but for its cultural connotation. If we look closer to the five attributes of Yu, we can see that they are also the virtues of a true Chinese gentleman. This is where the value and charm of Yu truly lies in.
Back to jade, does it have such attributes? No. It is beautiful as jewelry, but it is not true Yu. Then how did westerners come to mistake it for Yu in the first place? Well, it is due to the Manchu rulers in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Since the Manchu did not have a deep understanding of Chinese culture, they were attracted by the pretty green luster of jade, which is called Feicui in Chinese. The Manchu rulers showed great enthusiasm in Feicui, misleading people to believe that Feicui was Yu. When westerners came to contact China in modern times, they naturally accepted the Manchu rulers’ concept.
Feicui is good-looking on the surface, while Yu is more profoundly beautiful. Feicui might be called Yu in the broad sense, but it is not true Yu in the narrow sense. Feicui was popular in China for the last three centuries, but Yu has been in the spiritual center of Chinese culture for thousands of years. It is needless to say which is more faithful to true Chinese culture. As for the English word “jade”, it cannot convey the multiple cultural connotations of Yu, but is well suited for Feicui. China does not want to be the Empire of Jade. It is just a restful home of Yu.
