Preface to The Jade Game
Jade is a vessel of Chinese civilization. Jadeite, with its vivid beauty as the “king of jade,” and Hetian jade, with the gentle warmth of the “soul of nephrite,” are both essential materials for jade carving. Yet differences in their mineral composition and origins often lead to confusion. Knowing how to distinguish between them is key to carrying on the jade-carving tradition.
The Jade Game was written in response to the industry’s urgent need for expert guidance on identification. Problems are rife in today’s market, from Russian jade being passed off as Hetian jade to treated jadeite being sold as genuine. Many carvers lack the skills to identify materials, leading them to choose inferior stones or misjudge their value. This damages both their work and the industry’s reputation. Aiming for textbook-level expertise, this book focuses on jadeite and Hetian jade, building a practical, systematic identification framework that covers everything from mineralogy to real-world market practices.
The section on jadeite explores its main origins and explains how to assess “texture, translucency, color, base, and craftsmanship.” It uses techniques such as microscopic examination and refractive-index testing to break down telltale signs, including the acid-etched network pattern in B-grade jadeite and the dye deposits in C-grade jadeite. The section on Hetian jade outlines differences in composition among jade from Xinjiang, Russia, Korea, and other regions. It shows how to distinguish varieties by features such as “cloudlike, cottony structure” and density tests, and provides visual examples addressing problems such as chemically washed skins.
The book also connects identification with the practice of jade carving, explaining how to design around jadeite’s “texture, translucency, and color,” and how to use Hetian jade’s “sugar color” in clever carving. It includes a thousand high-resolution images and uses side-by-side comparisons of positive and negative examples to help readers grasp the material at a glance.
The art of jade carving begins with identifying the material. May The Jade Game become a practical reference for jade carvers, helping you identify materials accurately, preserve the jade’s authenticity, and bring new life to Chinese jade culture through professional craftsmanship.
