中国玉

玉在中国人的心目中，是美的化身，寓意纯洁、美好和高贵。中国人自古就崇玉、尚玉、佩玉、赏玉、藏玉。
早在七八千年前的远古时代，华夏祖先就发现并开始使用玉，当时人们佩戴用玉制成的装饰品，也将玉加工成简单的工具。玉在中国人的生活中扮演着重要的角色。在古代，玉是王权、礼制的信物，还是美好品德的象征，是人们约束行为的重要依据，并被认为是吉祥之物，是人们对美好生活的诉求寄托。现在，人们使用精美的玉雕作为陈设品，佩戴用玉制成的装饰品，还购买玉器用作收藏或投资。并可以说，玉在中国是用途*广、历史*长并独具魅力的一种材料，几乎没有哪一种材料像玉这样长期受到中国人的喜爱与推崇。
本书以中英文对照的形式，向海内外读者介绍了中国玉的历史与文化、玉石之美以及选玉技巧等方面的内容，配以大量精美的古今玉器图片，旨在让读者在买玉、赏玉、佩玉之余更深刻地领略中国玉的独特魅力。
Jade is the incarnation of beauty in the eyes of Chinese, which symbolizes purity, fineness and nobility. Therefore, it has long become a tradition for Chinese to exalt jade to a high position through worship, adornment, appreciation and collection.
Far back to seven or eight thousand years ago, Chinese ancestors discovered jade and began to wear it as an ornament or make it into basic tools for use. From then on, jade has played a significant role in the life of Chinese. In ancient times, jade was the token of majesty and ritual norms (ritual norms refers to , a concept celebrated in Chinese Confucian philosophy to emphasize the significance of social norms and stratum), the symbol of virtue and moral principle for self-discipline, and also the emblem of auspice where people entrusted their aspiration for happy life. Nowadays, people use the exquisite jade sculpture for display and ornament, and as well purchase them for private collection or investment. As it were, jade is the most widely-used, long-standing and fascinating material in China, while few stuff can enjoy such a long-term preference and esteem.
This Chinese-and-English compared book is dedicated to introducing the history and culture of Chinese jade, as well as its beauty and selection skills, to the readers both at home and abroad. Illustrated with a number of beautiful ancient and modern jade ware pictures, it's aimed at impelling readers to attain a deep understanding about the distinctive glamour of Chinese jade while purchasing, appreciating and wearing it.

中国人自古就崇玉、尚玉、佩玉、赏玉、藏玉，玉在中国人的心目中是美的化身。历代制玉者精雕细琢，把玉的质地美、色泽美和功用相结合，塑造了众多精美绝伦的玉器。本书介绍了中国玉的历史、文化内涵、品种、造型、纹饰、鉴赏等知识，带领读者领略中国玉文化的独特魅力。
It has long become a tradition for Chinese to exalt jade to a high position through worship, adornment, appreciation and collection. Jade is the incarnation of beauty in the eyes of Chinese. Jade craftsmen through the ages, combining jade’s beauty of texture, color and luster with its function, have created numerous exquisite jade objects by carving and polishing in a meticulous way. This book introduces Chinese jade’s history, culture, types, shape, pattern and knowledge of appreciation, impelling the readers to taste the unique charm of Chinese jade culture.

姜莉君，南京师范大学历史学硕士，参加过陕西西安杨官寨遗址、宁夏水洞沟遗址、江苏南京郭家山坑遗址的考古发掘工作。
Jiang Lijun, graduated from Nanjing Normal University with master’s degree on history, having participated in the archaeological excavations of Yangguanzhai Site in Xi’an of Shaanxi Province, Shuidonggou Site in Ningxia Province, Guojiashan Site in Nanjing of Jiangsu Province.

　　中国有美玉

　　从女娲补天的传说说起

　　近现代玉器
    清末时期，清王朝的统治风雨飘摇，玉器加工却因为受到外国人的青睐而如火如荼。但这一时期的玉器作坊由于属私人开设，财力有限，多以制作小件器物为主，很少有制作大件的材料。玉器制作风格以仿古、修改古玉为主，其形制、纹样基本沿袭明清风格，由于审美观念日趋世俗化而显得过于庸俗、没有创新。
    20世纪30年代，连年的军阀混战，加上抗日战争的爆发，刚刚有点复苏势头的玉器行业再次跌入谷底。玉器制作和加工停滞不前，只有民间玉雕有一点有限的成就。
　　中华人民共和国成立后，玉器行业恢复和发展得很快。北京和上海成为国内最重要的玉器制作中心，出现了一批玉雕工艺大师。此外，扬州、苏州、天津、广州等地也是玉器制作的知名城市。当时，全国的玉器制作以北京和上海为中心分为南北两派。北派以北京、天津、河北等地玉器为代表，其特点是人物造型类玉器都很注重表现人物的性格，仕女的秀美、童子的活泼、菩萨的肃穆、仙人的飘逸皆表现得淋漓尽致；仿花鸟鱼虫类玉器雕琢逼真细腻，花卉多写实；玉器器皿多沿袭清代宫廷造型，以熏、瓶、炉为主，薄胎和嵌宝压丝技术得到发展。南派以上海、扬州、苏州、广州为代表，其特点是玉器上的纹饰以写实为主，加工工艺上追求细腻、平滑，玉器器皿既有借鉴青铜器造型的，也有采用传统风格创造的，总体上给人以匀称、流畅、秀丽、高雅的美感。
　　而从20世纪50年代至20世纪80年代，中国玉器行业采用艺术品工厂体制进行管理，进一步推动了玉器行业的发展，提高了玉器制作的水平。这一时期中国主要的玉器厂培养了一批艺人，他们中大多数人成为当代著名的玉器制作大师，由他们设计制作或领衔制作的作品，质量很高，具有很大的投资收藏价值。近年来，由于和田籽料、翡翠藏量日趋稀少，导致玉石原料价格上涨，并带动整个新玉器市场价格的飙升，现代玉器大师的艺术作品更是成为市场中的抢手货。