Many who wear jade earrings do not know how connected the gem is to Chinese culture. Skilled Chinese artisans have passed down generations of craftsmanship for more than 5,000 years. Most have learned that the art of working with stone is to understand the symbolism of its color and shape as well as knowing the stone itself.
Artisans have always worked with the phoenix and dragon emblems in jewelry and other art works. The phoenix symbolizes a connection to the empress of a ruling dynasty. The dragon has a history that is a little more complex. It connects to the emperor, but it also connects people who are in possession of it to nature and the universe. Jade is known to bring power and potency to wearers, and the dragon itself is believed to control floods, rainfall and water in nature. It is not a symbol that anyone would want to desecrate. The Chinese consider this an act of disrespect. Disfiguring a dragon is cause for outcry.
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