By Hannah Hall
Closing out the theme of Mythology, writer Hannah takes us to the East. She writes about Chinese Mythology, and the story behind jade’s protective qualities. Read along to learn about the mythological history of the stone, and how you can bring jade’s power into your life.
For my birthday, my mom bought me a jade bangle. She told me that jade is for “good luck” and is intended to “ward off evil.” I first thought, “Uh, how does my mom know that?” which led to my second thought being “I should research this….” In my research, I found a general consensus that jade brings luck, like she said, and that it does indeed shield against bad fortune, also what she said. It is also the bringer of many other positive virtues such as happiness, courage, and wisdom. What my mom did not inform me of was the rich history and mythology of where the protective qualities of jade originate.
History and Legends
From records dating back to 5000 BC, jade is shown to be deeply rooted in Chinese culture and history. The Chinese people called jade the “royal gem,” “yu,” and it was actually used to furnish the imperial family’s tombs. Archeologists have found hand-assembled jade suits in burial tombs too! Jade also was the upholder of Confucian values, which can be explained in this quote by Confucius:
“Its color represents loyalty; its interior flaws, always showing themselves through transparency, call to mind sincerity; its iridescent brightness represents Heaven; its admirable substance, born of mountains and of water, represents the Earth. Used alone without ornamentation it represents the truth.”
(wagmag.com)
I was able to find three legends that explain how jade got to Earth. One states that when the Mongols invaded China, dragons wept with deep sadness. As the tears fell down to Earth, they petrified into jade. The next legend, which is also tear related, says that Buddha’s tears are made of pure jade. And, finally, a legend says that the Storm God lent mankind jade to fend against wild animals on Earth. He is said to have forged axes from jade that he grasped from a rainbow and that he dropped the jade weapons down to earth (wagmag.com).
Varieties and Colors
There are two kinds of jade: nephrite and jadeite. Nephrite is a more ample form of jade and is found in China, while jadeite is rarer and is found in Burma. They each carry both green and white hues, but jadeite has a wider range which includes burnt tones such as red/orange/yellow and lighter tones such as pink/purple. All of these colors are said to have unique energies and feelings associated with them.
- Red–high vibrational, encourages facing fears while reducing them
- Orange–joyous, connecting with the world and being in it
- Yellow–cheerfulness, heightens comprehensions
- Green–wealth, prosperity
- Blue–calming, flourishing dreams and visions
- Purple–ethereal energy, supportive spiritually and emotionally
- Pink–purifies and heals toxins, enhances loving energies
- Black–protection, wards off negative energies
- Brown–grounding, brings out reliability
- White–focus, brings clarity to the mind
- Tri-colored–growth in life, longevity
- (jadeite-atelier.com) and (leaf.tv)
Uses
The most common way people bring jade into their life is through wearing it. This way you and the jade are directly connected skin to stone and your energies are working together. Jade is known for opening the heart chakra, so common places to wear jade are on your left wrist as a bangle, or as a necklace over your heart. Another common way to sport jade is by wearing earrings.
Instead of wearing the crystal as jewelry, people often take the option of carrying it with them. People often set an intention with the piece of jade and have it in their pockets or purse. This keeps your intention close to you, and ensures the stone is absorbing your energy and actions throughout the day. This aids in manifesting your set desires. Lastly, people often put jade in places of significance. When you seek a successful financial outcome, Energymuse.com recommends setting the stone in your workspace. They give the example of setting the stone on top of business cards.
If you are interested in living a prosperous and positive life, I encourage you to get some jade, set your intentions straight, and allow the jade to work its magic.
Sources:
https://jadeite-atelier.com/blogs/jade-articles/the-colors-of-jade-and-the-meaning
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/the-significance-of-pink-jade/
https://www.energymuse.com/jade-meaning/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/UltimateJadeite
Mythology Editor: Elizabeth Shay