Materials · stone

Jade (nephrite)

玉

yu

Nephrite, the stone worked in China from the Neolithic. Valued for colour, translucency and the difficulty of carving; central to ritual and personal ornament for millennia.

Objects in this material

Nephrite pendant of pale green stone with carved surface and a drilled suspension hole

Pendant

Pendant

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Nephrite pendant carved as a butterfly with incised wing patterns

Pendant

Butterfly Pendant

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Circular nephrite pendant with carved surface decoration and a central opening

Pendant

Circular Pendant

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Pendant of gold mounts set with carved green jade, with a suspension loop at the top

Pendant

Pendant

Qing Dynastygold, carved green jade, rose quartz, and seed pearls

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Court necklace of green jade beads alternating with coral, with spacer beads and a pendant strand

Necklace

Mandarin Necklace

Qing Dynastyjade and coral beads, pendants mounted in gold and enamel

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Nephrite ring with a single radial slit cut through one side

Jue (slit ring)

Chüeh (Ornament)

Qin and Han Dynastiesjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Two matching arc-shaped nephrite pendants, each carved with an animal mask and interlaced scrolls

Pendant

Pair of Arc-shaped Pendants with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant carved in low relief with an animal mask and interlaced ornament

Pendant

Arc-shaped Pendant with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant with carved animal mask and interlaced scroll pattern

Pendant

Arc-shaped Pendant with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Flat nephrite pendant cut in the silhouette of a fish, with fins and scales incised on the surface

Pendant

Arc-Shaped Jade Fish Pendant

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant, greenish stone, carved with an animal mask at the centre and drilled at both ends for suspension

Pendant

Arc-Shaped Pendant (Huangpei)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Nephrite pendant carved with a coiled dragon and a fish in low relief

Pendant

Pendant with Coiled Dragon and Fish

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

White jade ornament carved as a spoked wheel with a central hub

Pendant

Ornament - Wheel

Qing Dynastywhite jade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Small drilled jade bead with carved surface

Pendant

Ornament - Bead

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Pendant

Jade Bird Pendant

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant with a small human-like figure carved into the surface

Pendant

Arc Pendant with Human-like Figure

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Small nephrite pendant with carved surface detail

Pendant

Pendant

Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynastiesjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the form of a flower bud, qing dynasty.

Pendant

Pendant in the form of a flower bud

Qing DynastyJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) hairpin, ming dynasty, 16 cm long.

Zan (hairpin)

Hairpin

Ming DynastyJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) headdress ornament, song, liao, jin and yuan dynasties, 4.2 cm high.

Headdress fragment

Headdress ornament

Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) headdress ornament, song, liao, jin and yuan dynasties, 5.6 cm high.

Headdress fragment

Headdress ornament

Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 10.6 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) armlet, qin and han dynasties, 8.3 cm across.

Armlet

Bracelet

Qin and Han DynastiesJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, plaque in the shape of a rabbit, shang and zhou dynasties, 2.5 cm high.

Pendant

Plaque in the shape of a rabbit

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.8 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, ming dynasty, 5.1 cm across.

Pendant

Pendant

Ming DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 11.1 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 8.9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 8.9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 5.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.7 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 9.2 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant (huang)

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 6.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.3 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) hairpin, qing dynasty, 14 cm long.

Zan (hairpin)

Hairpin

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) hairpin, qing dynasty, 16 cm long.

Zan (hairpin)

Hairpin

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) hairpin, qing dynasty, 16.7 cm long.

Zan (hairpin)

Hairpin

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) hairpin, qing dynasty, 14 cm long.

Zan (hairpin)

Hairpin

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 7.6 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.5 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.2 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.2 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite and jade (nephrite) pendant, with dragon, qing dynasty, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant with dragon

Qing DynastyJade (jadeite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) necklace, qing dynasty, 60.3 cm long.

Necklace

Necklace

Qing DynastyJade, diamond clasp

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) armlet, qing dynasty, 7.1 cm across.

Armlet

Bracelet

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) armlet, qing dynasty, 7.1 cm across.

Armlet

Bracelet

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 4.4 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) armlet, qin and han dynasties, 12.5 cm high.

Armlet

Armlet

Qin and Han DynastiesNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 6.8 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white with faint greenish tint

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.7 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.3 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white with faint grayish tint

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 0.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 6.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 7.1 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white with very faint grayish-green tint

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white and dark greyish

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.3 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite, jade (nephrite), amber and coral necklace, qing dynasty, 104.1 cm long.

Necklace

Official necklace (chaozhu)

Qing DynastyAmber, jade (jadeite), imitation coral

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Ivory Tone Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade (Nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) armlet, prehistoric china, 8.6 cm across.

Armlet

Bracelet

Prehistoric ChinaJade (Nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of an animal with fish tail, shang and zhou dynasties, 8.3 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of an animal with fish tail

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) and cinnabar comb, shang and zhou dynasties, 7.6 cm high.

Shu (comb)

Comb

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite) with traces of cinnabar

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather, amber, coral and carnelian headdress, qing dynasty, 20.3 cm high.

Guan (cap or crown)

Theatrical Headdress

Qing DynastyJade, amber, coral, carnelian, pearls, glass, feathers, gilt wire

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather and coral headdress ornament, qing dynasty.

Headdress fragment

Ornaments for Manzhu Hat

Qing DynastyMetal, feathers, jade, seed pearls, topaz coral, glass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather and coral headdress ornament, qing dynasty.

Headdress fragment

Ornaments for Manzhu Hat

Qing DynastyMetal, feathers, jade, seed pearls, coral, topaz, glass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather and coral headdress ornament, qing dynasty.

Headdress fragment

Ornaments for Manzhu Hat

Qing DynastyMetal, feathers, jade, seed pearls, coral, topaz, glass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather and coral headdress ornament, qing dynasty.

Headdress fragment

Ornaments for Manzhu Hat

Qing DynastyMetal, feathers, jade, seed pearls, coral, topaz, glass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather and coral headdress ornament, qing dynasty.

Headdress fragment

Ornaments for Manzhu Hat

Qing DynastyMetal, feathers, jade, seed pearls, coral, topaz, glass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite), glass, kingfisher feather and coral headdress ornament, qing dynasty.

Headdress fragment

Ornaments for Manzhu Hat

Qing DynastyMetal, feathers, jade, seed pearls, coral, topaz, glass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.3 cm long.

Pendant

Frog pendant

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 14 cm long.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) and gold comb, qin and han dynasties, 5.1 cm high.

Shu (comb)

Comb

Qin and Han DynastiesJade (nephrite) and gold

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a silk worm, shang and zhou dynasties, 4.8 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a silk worm

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) slit ring, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm across.

Jue (slit ring)

Slit Ring (Jue)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a coiling dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 4.4 cm across.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a coiling dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a crested dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 10.8 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a crested dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a bird, prehistoric china, 9.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a bird

Prehistoric ChinaJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 2.2 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art