Jade, as a gemstone of unique symbolic energy, is unique in the myths that surround it. With its beauty and wide-ranging expressiveness, jade has held a special attraction for mankind for thousands of years. This gem, with its discreet yet rather greasy luster, which comes in many fine nuances of green, but also in shades of white, grey, black, yellow, and orange and in delicate violet tones, has been known to Man for some 7,000 years. In prehistoric times, however, it was esteemed rather more for its toughness, which made it an ideal material for weapons and tools. Yet as early as 3,000 B.C, jade was known in China as yu, the royal gem. In the long history of the art and culture of the enormous Chinese empire, jade has always had a very special significance, roughly comparable with that of gold and diamonds in the West. Jade was used not only for the finest objects and cult figures, but also in grave furnishings for high-ranking members of the imperial family. Today, too, this gem is regarded as a symbol of the good, the beautiful and the precious. It embodies the Confucian virtues of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage, yet it also symbolizes the female-erotic.

Yunnan borders on Myanmar that is famous for its jade mines; one Yunnan's southwest town named Ruili between China and Myanmar boasts lots of jade-dealers, many of who are from both China and Myanmar. There jade has been processed into assorted crafts, such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces, tea sets, vessels, chopsticks, and carvings including flowers, plants, fruits and figures etc. In most parts of Yunnan, there are free markets where wholesaling and retailing for jade are both possible; jade stores can be found in every bird and flower market, such as Jingxing, Bailong markets in Kunming; prices of jade range from one dollar to million; so if you are a jade hunter, there must be something absolutely suiting your wallet.