Andrew Shaw - Author
Dive into the legends and myths surrounding jade, the Stone of Heaven. Jade is the most romantic and blood drenched stone on earth. To ancient cultures all over the world it was sacred. In China, Confucius raved about it; wars were fought over it and cities were offered in exchange for a piece of it. The ancient Olmecs of Central America treasured it far more than gold. Maori were so fond of it they killed and ate ten British sailors who tried to steal some of it. In more recent times, spoiled heiresses with more money than sense and hard nosed businessmen who should have known better squandered fortunes collecting it. If you want to know about the pirates who poisoned a man to get hold of it or how many slaves the Inuit would swap for a piece of it, then this is the book for you.
Andrew’s new book, Spoil, examines the way the West looted millions of priceless relics from China during the colonial era. His book tells the story of when they were stolen, who stole them and where they are now. Many looted items are still on display in museums throughout the world. In Spoil, Andrew suggests that it is time to give back what was taken and offers a way to do so which which could work for everyone.
Andrew is now working on his next book, A Jade Treasury, which brings together stories, myths, and legends about the Stone of Heaven from around the world.
A short film introducing Andrew’s book, SPOIL, with examples of the treasures looted from China that are now on display in museums in the West.
Andrew’s book, Jade Life, was featured in both the Guardian and the South China Morning Post. It received excellent reviews. The East Asia Book Review wrote: Jade Life is a great read – a big-hearted, highly accessible, informative, and likeable account. It will appeal to any reader interested in China regardless of one’s interest in jade. The author has a friendly, down-to-earth manner, and there’s no self-aggrandizement.
He hopes his book will help people understand why this precious stone is so important in Chinese culture and how it has captured the heart and soul of a people who in a very short time have managed to transform their country from a backwater state into the superpower it is today.