China has long been a "country of jade" that shines in world civilization history. The Chinese nation has, respected, honored, revered, loved and cherished jade for a history of over 8,000 years. Chinese jade art, veiled in mystery and carrying spiritual sustenance for people, has been deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture and played a role in every aspect of Chinese social life like no other artwork.
As early as 8,000 years ago, primitive people began to use jade to make tools and ornaments. Jade ware was gradually regarded as gifts from the gods with the emergence of primitive religions in the Neolithic Age, and then became social status symbols in the Shang and Zhou dynasties when sacrificial rites developed.During the Han Dynasty, people turned to jade for immortal life as a result of the prevailing ideas about the presence of gods and the mature concept of "Dealing with death as living." Although the making of jade ware experienced one of its hard times during the turbulent period of the Three Kingdoms, the Western and Eastern Jin dynasties and the Southern and Northern dynasties,jade art came back to life in Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties when peace restored in civil society, serving as sustenance for people to praise lives and express their inner feelings. The jade works, integrating superb craftsmanship and carved according to the unique properties of the natural materials, are the result of the knowledge of the Chinese people. They resemble brilliant stars in traditional Chinese culture and shining pearls in the world.

 

Yu Ming Graduated from Beijing Normal University with master's degree, Yu Ming is now deputy director of Beijing Jade Culture Research Center, director of Jade Collection Committee of the China Collector's Association. For many years, Yu has been dedicated to the research ofjade ware and the dissemination of jade culture.Yu has published many books including One of the Origins of China's Civilization——Hongshan Culture, A Complete Collection of Unearthed Jade Ware in China and won the awards for best books on cultural relics. Yu also published a dozen of essays and participated in the planning for the seven-episode documentary China's Ancient Jade Culture of the CCTV. For many times, Yu presided over seminars on China's jade ware.

 

Preface 1
Unveiling the Mystery of Jade: Overview 3
Essence of Heaven and Earth——Jade 4
Carrier of Civilization——JadeWares 8
Fruit of the Chinese Civilization——Chinese Jade Culture 18
Footprint in the World of Sacred Gods: The Time of Jade for the Gods 25
Jade Ware of Xinglongwa Culture 27
Jade Ware of Hongshan Culture 29
Jade Ware of Lingjiatan Culture 35
Jade Ware of Liangzhu Culture 41
Jade Ware of Longshan Culture 45
Imperial Companions: The Time of Jade for Kings 49
Jade Ware in the Shang Dynasty 50
Jade Ware in the Western Zhou Dyansty 56
Jade Ware in the Spring and Autumn Period 61
Jade Ware in the Warring States Period 67
Jade Ware in the Han Dynasty 74
Jade Ware in the Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties 81
Enter Civil Society: The Time of Jade for the People 83
Jade Ware in the Tang Dynasty 85
Jade Ware in the Song Dynasty 93
Jade Ware in the Liao Dynasty 99
Jade Ware in the Jin Dynasty 102
Jade Ware in the Yuan Dynasty 107
Jade Ware in the Ming Dynasty 110
Jade Ware in the Qing Dynasty 119
A Colorful World: Jade Ware in Modern Times 135
Appendix: Chronological Table of the Chinese Dynasties 145
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