Jade Meaning: A Journey Through Symbolism and Significance
In China, during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), mourners often placed jade pigs in the hands of the deceased. They also used jade cicadas, symbols of cyclical resurrection, as tongue amulets to protect the body from decomposition. During the Shang dynasty (1,600 BCE-1,046 BCE), Chinese rulers used a three-legged wine vessel made of jade, called a jue, to make offerings to ancestral spirits. Jade chimeras, winged and horned feline monsters, were set in tombs to protect the deceased from evil spirits and desecration.
Jade Symbolism
Both jadeite and nephrite have inspired beautiful works of art and a rich body of lore. Jade symbolism covers themes of harmony, eternity, and virtue.
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Ancient stoneworkers everywhere valued the smooth feel and versatility of jade. When struck, thin pieces of this stone produced clear, tinkling sounds. Not surprisingly, jade symbolism has often encompassed themes of harmony, eternity, and virtue.
Does Jade Symbolism Cover Both Jadeite and Nephrite?
Throughout human history, people have worked both jadeite and nephrite materials. The Chinese, Maori, and Meso-American cultures, in particular, prized jade and excelled at creating amazing pieces from it. When the Spaniards arrived in Mexico, the Aztecs valued jade many times more than its weight in gold.
Although the gemstone we call jade actually encompasses two distinct minerals, jadeite and nephrite, they share a similar appearance and toughness. Not surprisingly, the legends and lore these properties inspired apply to both types of jade. However, traditionally, Chinese and Maori jade folklore developed around nephrite. Meso-American jade folklore developed around jadeite.
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Jade Symbolism and Music
Jade’s toughness and musical properties have even made it into an old gemological saying.
If you take a hammer and hit a diamond, the diamond will shatter into a dozen pieces. Hit a piece of quartz and it’ll split in two. However, if you hit a piece of jade, it’ll ring like a bell!
Artisans have created chimes, xylophones, and gongs from melodically resonant jade. They’re not only meant for pleasant listening. Some also use these instruments to produce “heavenly” tones for ritual practices. Chinese poets have compared jade’s melodious sound to the voice of a loved one. They’ve called jade “the concentrated essence of love.”
The Jade Hei-Tiki of the Maori
The Maori people of New Zealand made full use of jade’s durability. They fashioned tools, weapons, and ornaments from it and passed these down through generations. The cherished heirloom pendants known as hei-tiki were carved from green gemstones the Maori called pounamu. Most of these stones would be classified gemologically as nephrite, but some are bowenite, a non-jade stone.
When a family required a new hei-tiki, they engaged a tohunga, or wizard, to locate raw jade. The tohunga would lead a hunt to an area where they could find it. After going into a trance to contact ancestral spirits for help, the wizard would invariably find jade where the spirits indicted. The family named the newly found jade after the man whose spirit helped locate it. The natural shape of the stone largely determined the hei-tiki’s final form. A stoneworker would slowly work the piece to reveal the shape of the spirit inside. The Maori highly revered and carefully guarded these ancestral spirit objects. They believed the hei-tiki helped and guided the family.
If a family was dying out, the family’s last male member would be buried with the hei-tiki, to guard it from strangers. Family heads would also have their hei-tiki pendants buried with them. Afterwards, when the coast was clear, their nearest male relatives would return and retrieve the heirlooms. Thus, the ancestral spirits could continue to guide their families.
This succession of burials and retrievals certainly added to the mystique of the hei-tiki. While many cultures fear their dead, the Maori considered them a great source of aid. The wisdom of their ancestors lived in these jade pendants, waiting in the grave to rejoin their families again.
Green Jade Symbolism
Other cultures also viewed their dead as a source of wisdom, like the Maori. Some also buried their jade with them. The Ancient Egyptians, Meso-Americans, and the Chinese usually placed jade in the mouths of their departed. Most often, they used green stones, meant to represent the heart. (An interesting note: in the ancient chakra system for describing body energy, green represents the heart chakra).
Although most people commonly associate jade with green, it’s hardly the only color of jade, whether jadeite or nephrite. However, it was THE color to use for the dead.
In China, during the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), mourners often placed jade pigs in the hands of the deceased. They also used jade cicadas, symbols of cyclical resurrection, as tongue amulets to protect the body from decomposition. During the Shang dynasty (1,600 BCE-1,046 BCE), Chinese rulers used a three-legged wine vessel made of jade, called a jue, to make offerings to ancestral spirits. Jade chimeras, winged and horned feline monsters, were set in tombs to protect the deceased from evil spirits and desecration.
The Virtues of Jade
A medicinal cult arose around jade in Ancient China. People believed mixing powdered jade with water produced a panacea to strengthen the body and prolong life. If ingested just prior to death, this mixture supposedly even delayed the decomposition of the body.
Confucius described the Chinese love of jade by comparing its qualities to the virtues of a gentleman, “esteemed by all under the Sun.” Xu Shen, an ancient Han scholar, listed the five virtues of jade in his Great Dictionary as “charity, rectitude, wisdom, courage, and equity.”
Jade use and reverence in China dates back to Neolithic times. For example, one of the earliest forms of the ideograph for “king” appears to be the symbol for a string of jade beads. Suffice to say that one of the gates in the Great Wall of China is named the Jade Gate. Caravans of camels bearing jade trekked two-thousand miles, over as many years, bringing jade to Chinese artisans. They worked this stone into huge sculptures as well as tiny, delicate ornaments. However, so great was the demand that jade carving became very specialized. Finding someone who could create both large and small carvings was difficult.
The Gem Supreme
Jade symbolism includes associations with nobility and wealth. Many consider it a protector of generations, living and dead. Jade has been and always will be the “Gem Supreme” and the “Jewel of Heaven,” stone of the heart.
Is Jade a Birthstone?
For people looking for alternative birthstones, jade is also the hour stone for those born between 9 and 10 PM.
Jade Meaning: A Journey Through Symbolism and Significance
Jade, an enchanting gemstone, has long been revered for its beauty and significance in cultures worldwide. Traditionally associated with virtues such as purity, wisdom, and tranquility, jade is often referred to as the “Gem Supreme.” The word “jade” itself is derived from the Spanish term “piedra de ijada,” which means “stone of the side,” as it was believed to cure kidney and side ailments. In Chinese culture, jade is known as “yu,” which translates to “heavenly” or “imperial.”
Table of Contents
The Meaning and Symbolism of Jade
Green Jade Symbolism
While jade is available in various colors, green jade is the most popular and sought-after shade. Green is believed to symbolize growth, balance, and harmony. It represents the natural world and its rejuvenating energy. Green jade is also associated with good luck, fortune, and protection from harm. Wearing or carrying green jade is thought to attract positive energy, promote emotional healing, and enhance one’s connection to nature.
Cultural Symbolism
The Jade Hei-Tiki of the Maori
The Maori people of New Zealand have long cherished jade, or “pounamu,” for its beauty and spiritual significance. One of the most recognizable symbols of Maori culture is the hei-tiki, a carved pendant made from jade. The hei-tiki is thought to represent fertility and protection, and is often handed down through generations as a treasured family heirloom. Wearing the hei-tiki is believed to bring good fortune and safeguard against evil spirits.
Jade Symbolism and Music
In Chinese culture, jade’s connection to music is an important aspect of its symbolism. Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, believed that jade possessed the qualities of a virtuous individual. He said, “The wise have likened jade to virtue. For them, its polish and brilliancy represent the whole of purity; its perfect compactness and extreme hardness represent the sureness of intelligence; its angles, which do not cut, although they seem sharp, represent justice; the pure and prolonged sound, which it gives forth when one strikes it, represents music.”
Jade as a Birthstone
Jade is also considered a birthstone for those born in March, although the more traditional birthstone for this month is aquamarine. As a birthstone, jade is believed to bestow the wearer with the virtues it symbolizes, such as wisdom, purity, and harmony. Wearing jade as a birthstone is said to protect against negative energy, encourage personal growth, and bring good fortune.
The Colors and Varieties of Jade and their Meanings
Each jade color and variety hold a unique meaning, making it a versatile and powerful stone.
Imperial Jade Meaning
Imperial jade, a vivid emerald green shade, is the most valuable and sought-after variety of jade. It symbolizes prosperity, abundance, and purity. This gemstone is believed to bring its wearer success, wealth, and good fortune. It is also considered a powerful talisman for protection against harm and negativity.
Blue Jade Meaning
Blue jade is associated with tranquility, peace, and communication. It is believed to help improve self-expression, enhance emotional balance, and foster clear and honest communication. Blue jade can also encourage spiritual growth and inner reflection, making it an ideal stone for meditation and introspection.
White Jade Meaning
White jade represents purity, innocence, and spiritual growth. It is thought to help cleanse and purify one’s energy, protect against negative influences, and promote emotional healing. White jade is also associated with clarity of thought and decision-making, making it an excellent stone for those seeking guidance and direction in their lives.
Red Jade Meaning
Red jade symbolizes passion, energy, and vitality. It is believed to enhance motivation, courage, and willpower, helping its wearer face challenges and overcome obstacles. Red jade can also help balance emotions, release negative energy, and promote self-confidence.
Black Jade Meaning
Black jade is a powerful protective stone, shielding its wearer from negative energy and psychic attacks. It symbolizes strength, resilience, and grounding. Black jade is thought to help dispel fears, anxieties, and self-doubt, allowing one to embrace their inner power and move forward with courage and determination.
Yellow Jade Meaning
Yellow jade represents wisdom, happiness, and positivity. It is believed to attract joy, abundance, and good fortune into one’s life. Yellow jade can also help stimulate creative thinking, enhance decision-making, and promote a sense of optimism and enthusiasm.
Lavender Jade Meaning
Lavender jade symbolizes spiritual growth, love, and compassion. It is thought to help open the heart chakra, encouraging one to give and receive love and nurturing. Lavender jade can also enhance intuition, promote emotional healing, and foster spiritual awakening.
Orange Jade Meaning
Orange jade embodies warmth, creativity, and emotional balance. It is believed to inspire confidence, motivation, and enthusiasm in its wearer. Orange jade can help remove obstacles and challenges, allowing one to tap into their inner strength and forge ahead with determination.
Purple Jade Meaning
Purple jade symbolizes spirituality, intuition, and inspiration. It is thought to help awaken psychic abilities, enhance spiritual connections, and promote personal transformation. Purple jade can also encourage creativity, imagination, and the pursuit of one’s dreams and aspirations.
Brown Jade Meaning
Brown jade represents stability, grounding, and connection to the Earth. It is believed to help release negative energy, promote emotional healing, and encourage a sense of inner peace and balance. Brown jade can also enhance concentration, focus, and practical problem-solving skills.
Jadeite and Nephrite Jade Meanings
Jade is primarily found in two forms: jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite is a rarer and more valuable variety of jade, often displaying vibrant colors and a high level of translucency. Nephrite, on the other hand, is more common and less valuable, with colors that may appear more muted and less translucent. Both jadeite and nephrite possess similar metaphysical and healing properties, although jadeite is generally considered more powerful due to its rarity and higher vibrational energy.
Jade Healing Properties and Uses
Physical Healing Properties
Jade has been used for centuries to promote physical healing and well-being. It is believed to help strengthen the body’s immune system, support heart health, and detoxify the body. Jade has also been used to aid digestion, relieve pain, and treat kidney and adrenal gland issues.
Mental and Emotional Healing Properties
Jade is known to help balance and heal emotional energies. It is thought to promote feelings of peace, calm, and stability, while also helping to release negative emotions such as fear, anger, and guilt. Jade can encourage self-acceptance, self-confidence, and emotional healing, making it a powerful ally in overcoming emotional challenges and personal growth.
Metaphysical Properties
Jade possesses strong metaphysical properties that can enhance one’s spiritual growth and development. It is believed to help open and balance the heart chakra, promoting love, compassion, and forgiveness. Jade is also thought to encourage spiritual awakening, enhance intuition, and connect its wearer to higher levels of consciousness.
Jade and Feng Shui
In Feng Shui, jade is considered a powerful stone for attracting wealth, abundance, and good fortune. It is often placed in the home or office to promote positive energy flow and create a harmonious atmosphere. Jade can also be used to balance the Wood element in a space, fostering growth, expansion, and vitality.
Chakra Associations
Jade is primarily associated with the heart chakra, which is responsible for love, compassion, and emotional well-being. By balancing and opening the heart chakra, jade can help promote emotional healing, foster self-love, and encourage healthy relationships. Some varieties of jade, such as purple and lavender jade, may also be associated with the third eye and crown chakras, promoting spiritual growth and higher consciousness.
How to Use and Activate Jade Crystals
To harness the healing properties of jade, there are several ways to use and activate the gemstone:
- Wear jade: Wearing jade as jewelry, such as a pendant or bracelet, can help you stay connected to the stone’s energy throughout the day.
- Meditate with jade: Holding jade during meditation can enhance your practice, promote emotional healing, and deepen your spiritual connection.
- Place jade in your environment: Positioning jade in your living or workspace can help attract positive energy, abundance, and harmony.
- Cleanse and charge jade: Regularly cleanse your jade crystals by running them under cool water or using sage smoke. To charge your jade, leave it in moonlight or sunlight for several hours.
By understanding the different meanings and healing properties of jade, you can utilize this powerful gemstone to enhance your well-being, promote emotional balance, and support your spiritual growth.