Pixiu is an ancient animal, one of the most auspicious celestial creatures in Chinese culture. Sometimes Pixiu is confused with Qi-Lin, and you can see a photo of me a very good Qi Lin statue on my 2005 China trip. I didn’t see many Pixiu in China. Pixiu is used in feng shui to ward off evil and bring wealth. Keep Pixiu in the business corner of your home or office to good luck in business and finance. It’s lucky to take Pixiu with you when you are gambling, also. I recently purchased some very good quality jade Pixiu pendants, of a size very suitable for a man to wear. These pendant of Pixiu include a coin by his mouth, for extra good luck and fortune.
This is from my friend Susy who lives in Hawaii:
There’s a quote by Confucius that tells of the "value" of
jade:
Its gentle, smooth, glossy appearance suggests charity of heart;
Its fine close texture and hardness suggests wisdom;
It is firm and yet does not wound, suggesting duty to one’s neighbor;
It hangs down as though sinking, suggesting ceremony;
Struck, it gives a clear note, long drawn out,
Dying gradually away and suggesting music;
Its flaws does not hide its excellences,
Nor does its excellence hide its flaws, suggesting loyalty;
It gains our confidence, suggesting truth;
Its spirituality is like the bright rainbow,
Suggesting the earth below;
As articles of regalia it suggests exemplification
Of that than which there is nothing in the world of equal value,
And thereby is Tao itself
Several people have asked me about why the color of their jade bangle bracelet changes. Natural jade does not change color. When you wear your jade piece. the color may become more bright and look better, because jade is meant to be worn and is very compatible with body qi (energy), Natural jade LOOKS better, but it doesn’t actually change color. Jade that changes color may not be jade. Or it may be jade that has been enhanced with colored resin. The jade carvers know that Westerners like nicely colored jade, and what comes out of the ground is generally not colorful and has many dark inclusions. Jade prepared for commercial export is often bleached clear with acid, then filled with resin to give it color and stability. They can be further enhanced after they are finished, to give it more color. If you pay less than $100 for a jadeite bangle with good color, then you are probably getting this very low grade jade, and you are lucky if it is even "C" grade.
So, that’s why your jade bangle may change color with body heat, hot water when you take a shower, sunlight, or the passage of time.
If you don’t want to pay the price for natural and good quality Burmese jadeite, consider the Chinese jade. It is China’s National Jade. The color is generally green and "watery" appearing, with inclusions (so you know it is natural), and if it looks like this, you can be fairly certain you are getting a natural jade piece. Ying Yu Jade offers smooth and carved Chinese jade. Energetically, these are very compatible with body qi, and feel wonderful to wear. And they won’t change color, but will become more bright and beautiful as you wear it.
I get emails from customers who want to buy a jade bangle, lamenting all the money they spent buying fake jades on ebay. And wondering about my prices which are higher than ebay prices. I do offer to give credit toward a Ying Yu Jade bangle by taking a trade-in, regardless of what kind of jade it is. I have rarely received a real jade bangle as a trade in.
You can’t expect to pay $.99 and get a real jade bangle. You can’t expect to pay $9.99 to get an "antique jade bangle". The Chinese sellers have learned that most people don’t know what real jade looks like, or how to tell if they have real jade, so they can easily sell colored stone, or glass, and 99.9% of the ebay customers are thrilled with their new "jade" bracelet. I can’t go to the jade markets in China and buy hundreds of jade bangles wholesale and pay $.99 each. Real jade has a real jade price. Ying Yu Jade bangles have a low mark-up. Look at the jade pages so you can see what real jade looks like.
A jade seller should be able to offer a certificate of authenticity for their jade. There is an additional cost for the certificate at Ying Yu Jade because of the time it takes for testing the jade and preparing the certificate.
You really do what to know what you are paying for. And if you are wearing jade for health reasons, you want to make sure your jade is not only real, but natural and not acid treated for translucency and dyed for color. You will always get what you pay for at Ying Yu Jade.