As early as 3000 B. C. jade was known in China as yu, the royal gem. Jade has always had a very special significance with the enormous Chinese empire. Jade was used not only for the finest objects and cult figures, but also in grave furnishings for high-ranking members of the imperial family. The Jade is still regarded as a symbol of the good, the beautiful and the precious. It embodies the Confucian virtues of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage.
The pre-Columbian period, the Mayas, Aztecs and Olmecs of Central America also honored and esteemed jade more highly than gold. New Zealand’s Maoris began carving weapons and cult instruments from native jade in early times and is a tradition that has continued to the present day.
In ancient Egypt, jade was admired as the stone of love, inner peace, harmony and balance. In other regions and cultures, jade was regarded as a lucky or protective stone, but did not have the significance that it had in Asia.