Crafting Jade: An Enduring Legacy Jade, an integral part of China’s heritage, boasts an illustrious history dating back over 8,000 years. Initially dominated by nephrite, the advent of jadeite from Myanmar around the Ming Dynasty (circa 1475) marked a transformative shift in China’s jade trade. Empress Dowager Cixi’s affinity for high-quality jadeite during the late Qing Dynasty propelled the stone beyond the palace walls, influencing the upper echelons of society. By 1908, jadeite claimed its p