Xiuyan jade, is named after its place of origin -- Xiuyan County in Liaoning Province, northeast China. Xiuyan jade is such a high-ranking material for jade carving that it is even nicknamed the "First Jade of China." The origins of Xiuyan jade-carving can be traced back more than 5,000 years, as indicated by the excavated Xiu jade craftworks in the primitive Hongshan Cultural Site. At the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a street was paved with jade stones. This involved over 300 artisans, who used various forms such as human figures, flowers, birds and animals.
Xiuyan jade is a kind of glittering and gentle crystal that features fine quality, varied colors, high-temperature resistance, erosion resistance, and is good for carving and polishing. Xiuyan jade is a very special kind of nephrite jade. Compared to nephrite, it is more translucent and has more stains.
It usually comes in a natural light green color and is semi-translucent, usually with brown and black dots. The most desirable Xiuyan jade pieces are clear and watery in appearance without clusters of black or solid white marks.
