Beijing Jade Carving is a jade carving technology widely practiced in Beijing. It originated in the Yuan Dynasty, and its founder was the Quanzhen Taoist priest, namely Qiu Diji. During the Ming Dynasty, the jade workshops set up under the imperial workshops gathered jade masters from all over the country, which in turn made the imperial jade carving industry in Beijing thriving. During the Qing Dynasty, jade carving was popular in Beijing, and the craft of jade carving reached a historical peak. After 1911, the folk jade carving industry in Beijing became increasingly flourishing, and a number of outstanding artisans appeared, bringing Beijing jade carving into a new historical stage. After the founding of New China, the jade carving industry in Beijing developed rapidly, once reaching a scale of several thousand people. The industry was full of talented people with surprising skills. The four jadeite national treasures exquisitely crafted during this period are of the highest artistic standard and have been honored by the State Council.

Beijing jade carving has a reputation of " excellent workmanship and solid materials". It inherits the tradition of imperial jade carving techniques, with exquisite materials, sophisticated production and a wide range of styles. Craftsmen are capable of producing a variety of jade products such as vessels, figures, flowers, birds and animals, pengjing trees and jewelries. The craft of Beijing jade carving includes multiple stages, such as the material selection, cleaning, opening, design, grinding and polishing, etc. The shapes are majestic and elegant, and the decorations are delicate and simple, reflecting the high level of craftsmanship. Since the 1980s, due to the shortage of funds and talents, the special varieties and technologies of jade carving of have been lost, which makes the preservation work ever urgent.

Translator: ZHAO Huinan