玉文化

Why this place

Jade has been the most valued material in Chinese culture for eight thousand years — not for its rarity but for its associations: toughness, warmth, a sound when struck, and a colour that was read as moral virtue. It was used for ritual objects, for burial suits and for personal ornaments, and the two minerals called jade (nephrite and jadeite) came from different directions.

What to see

• The Liangzhu Museum near Hangzhou, for the earliest great jade culture
• The Hotan jade rivers in Xinjiang, where white nephrite is still found and sold
• The Xiuyan jade workshops in Liaoning, and the Nanyang Dushan jade workings
• Beijing's Palace Museum and the Taipei National Palace Museum, for the imperial collections
• Jade markets: Jieyang in Guangdong and Tengchong in Yunnan, for jadeite

What to eat

• Not edible — but jade districts always have food streets attached
• The local cooking of Xiuyan, Nanyang or Tengchong, which is regional and good

How to plan

The museums are the reliable way to see the real thing; markets are where you would buy.

Best time

Any time

Practical tips

• Jade is extensively imitated and treated — buy from a reputable dealer with a certificate, and never from a roadside vendor