Health Properties of Jade in China

Jade is used in the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Commonly, it is ground into a fine powder and administered along with other ingredients. According to practitioners, jade has the properties of calming the soul, maintaining healthy blood circulation, and clearing the eyes and ears. It can “moisten” the heart and lungs. Moisten, here, refers to a positive maintenance of the liquid medium that protects and lubricates body tissue. The ancients Chinese used it as a weapon to prevent and cure disease. It has been a major medical ingredient for treatment and as prevention for aging. Jade’s long history can be traced back to the early alchemists.

Jade's place in China

For centuries, imperial households and courts, ate jade, wore jade, sucked on jade and were buried with jade. However, the emperor did not have a total monopoly on jade. The common person would also have jade in the home, on their person or in their stomach. Scientific research has confirmed that the stone contains elements such as: Zinc, Iron, Copper, Manganese, Cobalt, Selenium, Chromium, Titanium, Lithium, Calcium and Sodium. A current line of thinking is that, wearing natural jade products for a long period of time can supplement the body’s diet in its requirement for these elements. Add to that, the belief that jade can facilitate a discharge of excess elements from the body.

Jade is a box for the storage of Qi. It keeps Yin and Yang in balance. After burnishing the rock, not only does jade act as a storage box, it is also able to focus energy. Jade absorbs sunlight in daytime and release it at night. Jade has many sisters that possess this ability.

Treatments and cures

Across the bay from Hong Kong, a grandmother pushes a baby in a stroller. She is very close to old stories about pumiced jade applied to cheeks for beauty and absorbed into the skin for health, or times when it was ground up and nibbled on as a nutritious snack. She is accompanying her daughter and son-in-law who are shopping for jade in the plaza. They may not only have his and her jewelry on their mind. They just might be thinking about inhibiting the growth of bacteria or treating facial black spots. Perhaps they’re thinking about skin allergies. Along with their selections and decisions, it’s most certain that they are concerned about the authenticity of the gem they wish to purchase.

Can jade do something for the greedy vendor?

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds