Chinese Jade: The Spiritual and Cultural Significance of Jade in China by Fang, Gu; Hongjuan, Li - 2012

Shanghai, China: Shanghai Book Traders, 2012. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Jacket is clean apart from minor shelf rubbing on the bottom and a small tear to the bottom jack spine. Book itself is in great condition very minor shelf wear on the bottom but otherwise pristine, text is clean throughout. 'This beautifully photographed Chinese art book is a comprehensive exploration of jade and its history in China from the Neolithic times to the Qing dynasty. To the Chinese people, jade is a precious stone endowed with magical properties which encapsulated all that mankind aspires to in terms of character, elegance, tranquility, purity and virtue. The Chinese love jade not merely because of its rarity or its luster but because of a deeper aesthetic value. Chinese Jade: The Spiritual and Cultural Significance of Jade in China presents a comprehensive view of jade and its history in China from Neolithic times to the Qing dynasty. It illustrates pieces of jade that are on display not only in the Palace Museum in Beijing but in the many provincial and other museums across China. It will help the reader to understand what jade means to the Chinese in China; how it is classified and described and where it is found and worked and displayed. It has a value beyond that of a simple catalog and places jade in its natural, and central, cultural context.' 160 pages. 7.5 x 10.5 inches. Illustrated..