Jade - a beautiful, warm and delicate stone - has accompanied Chinese civilization for more than ten thousand years. The first part of the documentary Jade in Ancient China reveals how the ancient inhabitants of the Orient discovered jade, worked it with sensitivity and precision, and transformed it into artefacts that were not just aesthetic but spiritual. This film takes you to mountains, overflows and ruins, introducing you to the basic layers of jade culture and its spiritual significance.
The discovery and birth of jade culture
The document traces the development of jade processing from its earliest forms. In the valleys of ancient China, this extraordinary stone soon became more than just a material - it was seen as a bridge between man and heaven, a carrier of virtue, purity and spiritual power. It served not only as a personal amulet, but also as part of funerary equipment, in ritual ceremonies and religious sacrifices.
The Liangzhu culture, one of the most important ancient civilizations, is presented in the documentary as a key site for the development of the symbolism associated with this stone. It is here that the iconic shapes are created: the semi-circular pendant, the stylised green dragon, the quadrangular Cong (cylinder with a hole), a disc and a statue. These artefacts had a deep meaning - they were used in religious ceremonies, protected the soul of the deceased or acted as mediators between the world of the living and the dead.
Already in this period, the ability of Chinese society to transform stone into objects with fine craftsmanship and a strong spiritual message is evident - values that have endured in Chinese culture to this day.
The roots of faith, craft and power
The document emphasizes not only the craftsmanship of jade, but also its spiritual power. Jade appears in funerary equipment, as instruments of power and as symbolic keys to the ancestral world. Archaeological findings show that people believed in its protective power, its ability to preserve the soul and provide a connection to the universe.
The narrator engagingly presents the metaphysical concept of jade as perceived by thinkers, clerics and rulers. The stone was supposed to embody all the basic virtues - honesty, loyalty, wisdom and self-discipline. Its role was thus not limited to ritual - it was a daily reminder of the ideals towards which Chinese society was moving.
The conclusion of the first volume offers a deeper insight into how jade influenced the identity and philosophy of one of the world's longest-lasting civilizations. Its significance did not end in ancient times - it continues in today's China.
🔗 Continued here: Jade in Ancient China - Part Two "
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