gems, jade, nephrite, China, archaic jade

Late Neolithic-period China underwent what I have identified as a Jade Age, spanning from around 3500–2000 BCE. This era saw the rise of three key, successive yet overlapping chronological cultures: the Hongshan in the northeast, the Liangzhu in the southeast, and the Longshan in greater China. Jade was the material par excellence, used as a symbol of economic, social, and religious power. The exploitation of jade and its associated symbols spurred significant advances, contributing to the flourishing of civilization and laying the foundation for China’s earliest dynasties. This chapter examines how, in contrast to other late Neolithic cultures, jade-working cultures made strides in socio-political life.