Yangzhou jade carvings showcase summer style

A series of summer-style Yangzhou jade carvings in various shapes including cicadas and frogs has been created by a young generation of jade craftsmen.

Yangzhou jade carving has been enjoying worldwide renown since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

On the basis of inheriting traditions, young craftsmen have made continuous efforts to innovate jade carving to make it more representative of common life.

Zhou Ejian, who is famous for carving jade cabbages, started his first encounter with jade cabbage in the 1990s when a merchant from Hong Kong gave him a piece of raw jade and asked him to imitate a jade cabbage in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.

Apart from carving cabbages in all sizes, Zhou also makes vegetables and fruit that are harvested in summer, such as grapes, red peppers and eggplants.

"White Hotan jade has a mild luster," said a jade carving craftsman. "Influenced by traditional Chinese culture, many people consider Hotan jade a symbol of nobility and purity."

The summer-style jade carvings have become a hit. "We are thinking about using a live webcast to popularize traditional Chinese handicrafts to young people," said one of the new generation of jade carving craftsmen.

A piece of jade carving in the shape of cicada [Photo/yznews.com]

A plate of jade fruit and vegetables showcases the fun of common life [Photo/yznews.com]