ABSTRACT
Ja d e Of all materials in the world of Chinese antiquities, jade best exemplifies the essential aspects of Chinese culture and aesthetic appreciation. Jade is viewed as the most valuable of all precious stones and objects made from it are admired for their enduring beauty and moral quality. The metaphorical values ascribed to jade were emphasised in the Confucian Classics, which expounded the importance of jade to the virtues of a perfect gentleman. With time, jade came to be identified as a symbol for everything that is good, pure, noble and sublime. While the living wore jade as a symbol of their moral integrity, jade was also used to accompany the deceased, to comfort the soul and confer immortality to the body in the afterlife.
