中華民族是一個愛玉的民族. 中國古玉的歷史可以遠朔至八千年前興隆窪文化時期. 古代中國人將君子比德於玉, 對玉的鍾愛, 可見一斑.  許慎說文解字云: 「玉, 石之美, 有五德者. 潤澤以溫, 仁之方也. 鰓理自外, 可以知中, 義之方也; 其聲舒揚, 專以遠聞, 智之方也; 不撓而折,勇之方也; 鋭廉不忮, 絜之方也.」 玉之所以可愛可貴, 就是因為玉質溫潤光澤, 玉理紋路細緻, 玉音清脆悠揚, 玉料堅硬不撓, 玉色清明剔透. 一件精緻美好的玉器, 把玩在手中, 視其色, 聽其聲, 觸其質, 感其理, 悠遊其中, 真是人生一大樂事.

The Chinese is a nation who has shown a great appreciation on jade. The jade history in China can be traced back as long as eight thousand years in the Xinglongwa Culture ( BC6200-5400 ). The extent the Chinese cherishes jade can be realized by the way the Chinese compare the quality of gentleman to that of jade.
According to the Book of the Analysis of Chinese Characters (說文解字 Shuo Wen Chieh Tzu) of Hsu Shen (許慎) in Eastern Han dynasty( c. 100 B.C.), a classic definition of jade’s lasting appeal has been presented as follows:

Jade is a stone of beauty which can be revealed in its five virtues: its luster produces a feeling of warmth, the virtue of humaneness; its translucence enables one to comprehend its inner markings, revealing the virtue of morality; its purity ensures the austere virtue which harms no one.
  It is a great happiness to enjoy a jade object of good quality by watching its color, hearing its sound, touching its surface and reasoning its vein development.

Jade artifact identification has been practiced widely and in great detail on the identifying the age and the genuineness of jade objects. The appreciation of jade artifacts should not be only on the historical aspect. More appreciation should be placed on the aesthetics the jade artifact presents.

     The elegance of Chinese jade will be rediscovered if jade enjoyment can be matched with the final purpose to establish a harmonious society by following the virtues of jade.

Proverb: Home is where the heart is ( Roman).