The objects in this exhibition are from the permanent collection of the University Art Gallery. Most of them are jades (yu) made in the Qing dynasty (1644-1911 AD) China. The term jade encompasses two distinct materials of different chemical composition: nephrite and jadeite.

There is no jadeite source in China. Jadeite was imported to China from Upper Burma beginning in the 18th century AD. Nephrite occurs in several localities in Xinjiang province in the far west of China. After Qing's conquer of this region in 18th century AD, the demand for jade materials greatly increased. A number of nephrite sources are now associated with ancient jade yielding cultures, such as Kuandian in Liaoning province, Liyang, Jiangsu province, and Laiyang, Shandong province. There are also several other jade-like materials including bowenite, soapstone, and serpentine, which have a variety of names, according to region. Regional names include: "Xiuyan jade" (Liaoning), "Dushan jade" (Henan), "Lantian jade" (Shaanxi), and "Jiuquan jade" (Gansu). Artifacts made of agate, amber, crystal, turquoise, and malachite are also loved by the Chinese.

Both nephrite and jadeite may be white or colorless. The range of shades of color is mainly due to the presence of other elements such as iron, chromium and manganese. Jadeite, especially green jadeite, was considered to be more valuable than nephrite. The deeper the shade of green, the more precious the jade was considered to be. As for nephrite, whiter shades were the most desirable. Some colors are unique to one mineral. For example, the popular apple-and emerald green jewelry jades are invariably jadeite; the spinach green is usually nephrite. Jadeite is harder than nephrite. Both nephrite and jadeite are too hard to be inscribed using metal tools. They must be ground with a medium containing a harder substance, such as diamond or quartz powder mixed with water. When worked and polished, the fine luster of polished nephrite appears oily and is described as "the shining of oil". Polished jadeite is described as "the shining of glass".

Due to the labor intensity of jade carving in ancient China, the limitation of raw material to certain regions, and its association with the virtues of true gentleman in Confucianism, jade was considered to be more precious than gold in China.

(Sources include: Chinese Carved Jades by S. Howard Hansford, and ChineseJade from the Neolithic to the Qing by Jessica Rawson.)