For the first time, jade (stone) was discovered in China. During the excavations, it was found that the mineral was used in the rituals of Chinese healers. A huge collection of jade handicrafts and jewelry was found in the Liangzhu tombs, which belonged to the ancient Hongshan Neolithic culture. This culture existed in the Yellow River basin. According to archaeologists, the found ritual axes, pendants and jade figurines were created in the 3rd - 2nd millennium BC. According to legend, it was believed that you can save the soul of the deceased by placing an amulet with white jade in his tomb.
It so happened that the term "jade" today is often referred to any hard green stone. Jasper, chalcedony, aventurine, and others are sometimes sold as pseudojades. In nature, real jade is found in only two forms: jadeite and jade. The mineral has a wide range of colors: green, marble, black, cream, gray, yellowish and others.
The main countries that produce jade (stone) are China and New Zealand, North America and Burma. Until the 16th century, Chinese stone was mined atthe Hotan River (today Xinjiang). It is believed that the mineral found in the rivers is of higher quality than the mined one. The region of Lake Baikal is considered to be the birthplace of spinach-colored green jade.
It is interesting that in the same China, the ancient treatise "Ku-yu tu-pu", which consisted of 100 books, was dedicated to the stone. The most revered and famous is white jade - the amulet of Chinese emperors. Its magical and healing properties are known to many: wearing a mineral has a calming effect on the nervous system and prevents stomach diseases. More rare red jade can be found only in China. For many years he served as a talisman against natural disasters and treated heart diseases. In diseases of the kidneys, light gray jade is considered indispensable. Some were simply applied to the lower back, while others were sewn into the belt. Probably, the healing properties of jade can be explained by its high heat capacity: the stone retains heat for a long time and works like a heating pad.
In Mongolia, only men could wear jade (stone). Most often, smoking pipes, snuff boxes and other amulets were made from it. The ancient Indians also revered its power. An example of this is the famous Sumanat idol, which was entirely carved from a huge monolith and dedicated to Shiva. The name of the mineral comes from the Greek "nephros", which means "kidney". Largely due to this, in the West, he gained a reputation as a kidney stone, which acts as a strong biostimulant, affecting the physical condition of a person.
Chinese blue jade is rightfully considered the rarest. The stone helps to achieve spiritual perfection, so it is best suited for monks and yogis. White jade is best worn by Libra, as it balances their sometimes difficult nature and softens it. Black and green nephrites are inferior to white in their energy, but they are great for Capricorns, red - for Virgos. A jade stone with a green hue in the color of a cat's eye is very rare. The relative density of the mineral is 6.5, and jadeite is 7.0 on the Moss scale, so it is considered very durable.
