Jade (stone) was first discovered in China. During the excavation, it was found that the mineral was used in the rituals of Chinese healers. A huge collection of jade crafts and jewelry was discovered in the tombs of Liangzhu, which belonged to the ancient culture of the Neolithic of Hongshan. This culture existed in the Yellow River basin. According to archaeologists, the found ritual axes, pendants and figurines made of jade were created in the III - II millennium BC. According to legend, it was believed that the soul of the deceased could be preserved by putting an amulet with white jade in the tomb to him.
It so happened that the term "jade" today is often referred to any solid stone of green color. Jasper, chalcedony, aventurine and others are sometimes sold as pseudo-nephritis. 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 sixteenth century, Chinese stone was mined on the Khotan River (today, Xinjiang). It is believed that the mineral found in rivers is of higher quality than that mined. The homeland of green jade of spinach color is considered to be the area of Lake Baikal.
Interestingly, everything in the same China was dedicated to the stone by the ancient treatise "Ku-yu-tu-pu", which consisted of 100 books. The most revered and famous is white jade - an amulet of
Chinese emperors. Its magical and healing properties are known to many: wearing the mineral has a calming effect on the nervous system and prevents stomach diseases. Rarer red jade can only be found in China. For many years, he served as a talisman for natural disasters and cured heart diseases. In kidney diseases, 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 on the principle of a heating pad.
In Mongolia, jade (stone) could only be worn by men. Most often smoking pipes, snuff-boxes and other amulets were made from it. The ancient Indians also revered his power. An example of this is the famous idol Sumanat, 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 for kidney stone, which acts as a strong biostimulant, affecting the physical condition of a person.
The most rare is considered to be blue Chinese jade. 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 them at times with a difficult character and softens it. Black and green jades are inferior to white in their energy, however, they are great for Capricorn, red - for Virgo. Jade stone with a green tint of the color of a cat's eye is very rare. The relative density of the mineral is 6.5, and the jadeite is 7.0 on the Moss scale, so it is considered very durable.