The Fabled Hetian Jade

KUNLUN MOUNTAINS

Hetian jade originates in the Kunlun Mountains. It is found in at a height of between 2500 and 3000 metres. Pieces of jade break off from the rock face and tumble into the mountain streams. Over the centuries these pieces slowly make their way down to the valley floor and into the White and Black Jade Rivers. This becomes known as seed jade because by the time it reaches the valley floor all extraneous and softer material has been worn away and all you are left with is the pure kernel of the stone. It often has an oxidized skin of a pleasant brown colour and is covered with tiny indentations very similar to the pores of your skin. The very best of this is the mutton fat white which is so treasured by Chinese people. 

There are some intrepid miners who travel into the foothills of the mountains in search of jade. There is nothing there but barren rock and they must take everything they need with them. Even then they will not find the true seed jade as the stones they are seeking have not yet reached the valley floor. What they find if they are lucky is called Flowing Water Jade. It sometimes has an oxidized skin and the tiny indentations of the true seed jade found on the valley floor but these indentations are larger and the skin less pronounced. I came across two miners who had just spent a few weeks searching for jade. They showed me a few pebbles but nothing really outstanding. Its a tough life mining for jade.

The White Jade River.  The town of Hetian is about forty kilometres from the foothills of the Kunlun Mountains. The White Jade River wends its way from the foothills and past the town. It is often difficult to spot because both banks and much of the river itself have been gouged out by bulldozers and mechanical diggers searching for jade. Parcels of land are auctioned off along the river to the highest bidder. Those who succeed at the auction dig deep into the earth looking for jade. Sifters then search through all the stone that is dug up in the hope of finding white treasure. The result is an eyesore with huge piles of tailings along this whole length of river. And it gets worse every year.

TOWN SQUARE  The town of Hetian has a population of a little more than 300,000. It is not a very big place by Chinese standards where there are more than100 cities with more than a million people. But it has a huge central square surrounded by hundreds of jade shops. You can buy carvings and uncut stone in all of them. Strangely enough very little of the carving is done in the town itself. Most of the carved jade comes from other carving centres in different provinces. If you are interested in jade you can have hours of fun just window shopping.

THE JADE MARKETS. Jade is a very serious business in Hetian but it is not a place for the casual traveler to pick up a bargain. There is a jade market which winds along the banks of the White Jade River in Hetian for about two kilometres and stone freshly dragged from the river bed can be found there every day. But there is very little jade of any quality on offer and most of the customers are tourists who want to take home a piece of the fabled Hetian jade they bought themselves. Any really decent stone is taken straight to preferred buyers such as Master Carvers who have the deep pockets to pay for jade which can cost four times as much as gold. Its a great photo opportunity but don’t expect to get hold of any decent jade.

Street Peddlars

There are also many street peddlars who offer you what they promise is the fabled mutton fat white Hetian jade. Some of what they sell is jade but much of it is serpentine, other stones and even plastic or glass. You wouldn’t buy a diamond ring from a street seller in London say – so don’t even think of buying mutton fat white on the streets of Hetian.