Hotan Jade (Nephrite or Hetian Jade) is one of the “four famous jades”in China. It is very delicate in texture, smooth and moist, uniform in color, soft as grease, slightly transparent, waxy luster with a special grease luster, second to none in jade. According to their place of production, they can be divided into seed materials, mountain materials, mountain water materials, and Gobi materials. The jade produced in the river and riverbed is called Zaiyu, mainly produced in the Yulongkash River and Karakash River, formerly known as Baiyu River and Moyu River, with superior quality and relatively low production. Seed materials are usually jade stones from mountains, which are naturally eroded and peeled off before being transported to rivers by flowing water. After long-term erosion and rolling grinding by flowing water, they are refined and refined, leaving behind the most delicate and sturdy parts of the material. It is generally in the shape of pebbles, with a pure texture and a strong sense of oil. The surface is smooth and round, and due to the infiltration and penetration of various minerals, the skin oxidizes to form a refreshing color (about 1 millimeter thick). The skin color is rich and colorful, which is also a characteristic of young materials. According to its color pattern characteristics, it can be divided into jujube skin, autumn pear skin, yellow skin, golden skin, tiger skin, etc., which is very ornamental. The mined materials are called mountain materials, mainly produced in the Kunlun Mountains of Hotan County, Yutian County, Cele County, Minfeng County, and Pishan County. Most of them are located on the snow line of the Kunlun Mountains at an altitude of 5000 meters. They are mainly blue and white jade, with high production and uneven quality. The blocks are large and small, with obvious edges and can be seen as granular, without skin color, poor oiliness, and some mountain materials have sugar color. Sugar color is a reddish brown color formed by impregnation with a certain substance, named after its color resembling brown sugar. It is formed near the peripheral zone of white jade, blue white jade, and green jade mountain materials. Sugar colored jade accounts for more than 85% of the volume, which is called sugar jade. Mountain flowing water refers to the natural weathering, rainwater erosion, debris flow, and other processes that cause jade materials to naturally peel off from the mountain.
These materials are close to the original location of the mountain material mine, have a larger block size, slightly rounded edges of the jade, and have a smoother surface. The texture is more lubricating and delicate than mountain materials, and the oil content is slightly better. Gobi materials are transported to the Gobi Desert through crustal movement and formed by the impact of storms and other sand and stones. They are mainly in sheet form, with wind erosion marks on the surface. They are mainly produced in the Gobi Desert, about 160 kilometers from Nurduoxi in Cele County to Piyamando in Moyu County.
Hotan Jade can be divided into white jade, jasper, sapphire, bluish white jade, black jade, topaz, blue and white, ruby, etc. according to the color. White jade and sapphire are more common. White jade refers to soft white jade, which can be divided into sheep fat white jade, first level white jade, second level white jade, and third level white jade. Sheep fat white jade is sheep fat white, with an extremely delicate texture, soft and even luster, oily luster, full of glutinous properties, and a semi transparent shape. It is not only the best quality of white jade, but also the best of Hotan Jade, which is only found in Hotan Jade in Xinjiang. Jade refers to soft jade that appears green, fresh green, dark green, dark green, and dark green. Qingyu is a soft jade with a light blue-green color and sometimes a greenish gray hue. Qingbai jade lies between white jade and blue jade, and is a soft jade that resembles white but not white, and resembles blue but not blue. Moyu refers to soft jade that appears pure black, jet black, dark gray, and sometimes cyan black, often accompanied by sapphire, and its luster is dimmer than other jade. Huangyu refers to soft jade with colors such as yellow, honey wax yellow, chestnut yellow, okra yellow, egg yellow, beige, and yellow poplar yellow. Blue and white jade refers to a type of white jade or blue and white jade that appears as black dots or cloud like patterns with black stripes, also known as “blue and white jade”. Red jade refers to soft jade with dark red and wine red colors, which is extremely rare. Hotan Jade is known as the first nephrite in the world due to its excellent quality. It has been developed for 7000 years and has a long history. It is known at all times and at home and abroad, and has a unique position and influence.