Hetian Jade: The Timeless Treasure of China

Nestled amidst the majestic Kunlun Mountains, known as the "Ancestor of All Mountains," lies the birthplace of the world-renowned Hetian jade, whose history can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty. Li Si, in his 'Memorial on the Expulsion of the Alien Guests,' listed Hetian jade among the four rarest treasures. Many of ancient China's famous jade carvings were crafted from premium Hetian jade, such as the colossal 'Great Yu Taming the Flood' sculpture, weighing 5,330 kilograms, housed in Beijing's Forbidden City's Le Shou Tang Hall, adorned with Emperor Qianlong's own inscription. The Ming Dynasty scientist Song Yingxing also noted in his work 'The Exploitation of the Works of Nature' that precious jades mostly originated from Khotan.

Hetian jade is categorized into two types based on its occurrence: river jade (Zi Yu) and mountain jade (Shan Liu). River jade, formed through natural erosion in rivers, is of high quality but scarce; mountain jade, extracted from mountainous mines, has a higher yield but inconsistent quality. The principal sources of Hetian jade are the Yurungkash and Karakash Rivers, historically known as the White Jade River and Black Jade River. During summer floods, the gems hidden within the veins are revealed, polished by the currents into smooth, creamy jewels. Among these, the most prized is the羊脂玉 (Yángzhī Yù), pure as congealed sheep fat, with pieces exhibiting amber hues being exceptionally rare.

Mountain jade primarily comes from multiple mines in the Kunlun Mountains, including the centuries-old Amsas mine, which yields mostly green and white jade, with some mines featuring stunning ice caves formed by accumulated rain and snow. Miners meticulously excavate along the jade veins, as the jade is dispersed in a 'chicken nest' pattern within marble, requiring careful extraction. Other notable mines are located in Hetian County (since 1962) and Pishan Kansiwa, all situated above 5,000 meters on the snow line of the Kunlun Mountains. Seasonal restrictions limit effective mining to approximately four months a year, hence the saying "three years without a sale, one sale feeds three years," highlighting that the value of Hetian jade lies in its quality rather than quantity.

Hetian jade is celebrated not only for its superb material properties but also for the artistry of sculptures it inspires. With its ideal hardness and exquisite texture, Hetian jade has been the preferred medium for carving for thousands of years, enjoying an esteemed reputation both domestically and internationally. According to the 'New Book of Tang,' during Emperor Dezong's reign, envoy Zhu Ruyu was dispatched to Anxi (present-day Hetian region of Xinjiang) to procure fine jade, returning with a substantial collection of Hetian jade carvings, attesting to a well-established jade carving industry in Hetian by the late Tang Dynasty.