Jade carving, essence of Chinese culture and tradition
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It is common knowledge that China has had a long and glorious history in both arts and traditional handcrafts, and over recent years, the nation has seen a revival in the popularity of jade and jade carving, both long-treasured traditions.
According to Liu Fuzhou, CEO of Chinese Arts & Crafts, Hong Kong, the sales of jade items and jade jewelry in 2010 have exceeded 200 billion yuan ($30.36 billion) and are expected to grow even more in 2011.
"I believe that jade has its own language. You just feel different when you touch it and when you look at it; they leave you in a very peaceful mood," said Liu, adding that jade carving requires advanced and delicate techniques.
As the CEO of a company that specializes in making and selling jade items and jade jewelry, Liu expressed his admiration towards jade carving craftsmen, who are able to take advantage of jade's natural lines, luster and colors, to ingeniously match the shape of the craft-piece to that of the jade and fully display the glory of nature.
"With these skilled craftsmen, we work together to bring people the essence of China. They are more cultural than luxurious."
Established in 1959 in Hong Kong, Chinese Arts & Crafts experienced an aggressive expansion in recent years, with openings in Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Shanghai. Two new branches were recently opened in Beijing, one in China World Summit Wing and the other in Financial Street.
