gems, jade, amphibole jade, actinolite, tremolite, amphibole group, nephrite, fei cui, pyroxene jade, imperial jade

An illustrated catalogue of 157 entries documenting Qing-dynasty green jade objects in the Palace Museum, accompanied by photographs of 21 jade specimens from Manasi, Xinjiang. Zhang Guangwen’s introductory essay traces the historical use of green nephrite, its expansion under the Qianlong emperor, and supplies from Khotan and Manasi, drawing on court workshop records, imperial poems and historical accounts of mining. The catalogue covers imperial seals and jade books, vessels, incense burners, scholarly utensils, landscape carvings, religious figures and personal ornaments, with descriptions of form, decoration, inscriptions and function. Comparisons suggest that some palace objects may contain Manasi material, without establishing this provenance for the collection as a whole.