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This
gem, with its discreet yet rather greasy luster, which comes in
many fine nuances of green, but also in shades of white,
gray,
black, yellow, and orange and in delicate violet tones, has been
known to Man for some 7000 years. In prehistoric times, however,
it was esteemed rather more for its toughness, which made it an
ideal material for weapons and tools. Yet as early as 3000 B.C.
Jade was known in China as yu, the 'royal gem'. In the long
history of the art and culture of the enormous Chinese empire,
Jade has always had a very special significance, roughly
comparable with that of gold and diamonds in the West. Jade was
used not only for the finest objects and cult figures, but also in
grave furnishings for high-ranking members of the imperial family.
Today, too, this gem is regarded as a symbol of the good, the
beautiful and the precious. It embodies the Confucian virtues of
wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage, yet it also
symbolizes the female-erotic.
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