Economic impact Of Jade In The Past. What is Jade and Where did it Come From

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Economic Impact of Jade in the Past
Abstract
This paper will focus on a precious gem known as jade. Jade has been in use for a long time within the Chinese culture where it was believed to be a symbol of health and purity. Aside from providing a comprehensive history of the gem, this paper will also focus on the economic impact of jade in the past. Today, the gem is considered to be quite precious around the world. However, in China, it is considered more precious than gold. The rich spend a lot of money gathering artifacts, designs, and carvings made from jade and this helps to establish the gem’s worth further. This paper will thus seek to offer more information regarding the gem.
Background Information
In Western countries, precious gems like diamonds are often associated with status, and only the rich are found worthy to behold them. However, in ancient China, jade was not associated with status only but was considered a “symbol of status, spirituality, purity, and health for over 9000 years” (Desjardins). Lyons supports the above statement by noting that “during the first two millennia of Chinese culture, jade was thought to be of supernatural origin, an emanation of streams and mountains, something created by the forces of nature, born within the earth and endowed with transcendental qualities” (4). In some instances, jade was used in some rites and as Lyons notes certain forms or types of the gem were considered “necessary for the emperor to pay homage to heaven and earth, from whom he derived his mandate to rule.” Emperors used jade to enforce their rule as well as to feoff. So, this gem had quite a purpose. However, as is always the case, people change and turn their beliefs towards different things, and in China, this happened “toward the end of the Chou period” (Lyons, 4). At this particular point, jade appears to have become a global gem, and everyone is interested in it. The implication is that the religious significance it had acquired starts to diminish. However, even as this happened, never at one point in the history of the gem did jade lose its appeal. Even though as indicated by Lyons its use decreased between the 3rd and 7th centuries A.D., its appeal remained. The Chinese were intrigued by the gem and continued to treat it specially. So, it did retain its “aura of a magic substance” (Lyons, 5).
It is believed that at some point in the history of China, there was a Jade Age just like the Bronze age. People were curious and intrigued by this gem that everything revolved around it. Today, there are a lot of materials that were made from the gem whose purpose cannot be explained while considering the appearance of the object. However, this is simply to show that at some point in the history and culture of the Chinese, Jade was highly esteemed and used in almost everything that was considered sacred and important in the Chinese culture.
What is Jade and Where did it Come From
Jade is considered a precious gem (more precious than gold) in China. However, China is not the only place that this gem can be found. Being naturally occurring means that it can be found anywhere in the world. H...