With a history spanning 7,000 years jade is a symbol of honor, faith and immortality for many Chinese. Jewelers are displaying their wares this week at the six-day Yunnan High-grade Jadeite Summer Appreciation Fair.
Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, is seeing green. The city, home to the nation's top emerald distribution center, has more than 3,000 jewelry enterprises. With a 10 billion yuan turnover in 2009, emerald trade volume accounted for almost half of Kunming's jewels market.
New standards for jadeYunnan province in the southwest of China is renowned worldwide for its centuries old jade culture. But only recently did the provincial government approve a new grade regulation standard, used to judge jadeite quality.