The history of Chinese jade can be traced back to the early Neolithic period, about 5000 B.C. For thousands of years, jade has been used for many purposes. Besides decorative, it was also used in tools, accessories, weapons, ritual and daily utensils. Over 4000 years ago, large quantities of jade utensils were often laid over or around a casket.

Confucius said there are eleven virtues in jade: beauty, purity, intelligence, justice, music, loyalty, sincerity, heaven, the earth, chastity and the truth. For Chinese, it also symbolized immortality and served as a magic stone linking man with the spiritual world. In Zhou Dynasty (771-221 B.C), deceased nobles were buried in a jade suit with jade plugs in body orifices to keep their body from decaying. Such ritual use went on even beyond Han Dynasty (206 B.C- 220 A.D).

After the fall of Han Dynasty to the end of Tang Dynasty (906 A.D), few jades survive. Not until Qing Dynasty was jadeite imported from Burma, jade traditionally refers to soft jade. Jadeite is also called Feicui in Chinese which is now more popular and valuable than the soft jade. During the modern dynasties, jade objects were produced for the scholar's studio, such as paperweights, brush rests and seals.

Since the ancient times, jade was often given as gift. Up till now, it is still a symbol of status, love and virtue. It is said that jade is good to health for it may emits long-wave bio-spectrums and negative ion which can eliminate harmful waste toxins while it is warmed up by body. The carvings of dragon, phenix, Panli, Guanyin and Buddha are still favored by Chinese today.