Asian Art Museum Lecture: Jade Stone of Heaven

If you thought diamonds were forever, you should consider jade.  For millennia this stone has been valued, revered, and imbued with meaning by most Asian societies. 

The Asian Art Museum’s Community Speakers Program will present the story of Jade: with a brief introduction about how jade is worked,  followed by an appreciation of select jade pieces with a focus on the functions, and the symbolic and auspicious meanings of jade pieces.

Jade is believed to have life-prolonging qualities, and many consider jade to be more precious than gold. Emperors admire jade; scholars praise jade; women use jade ornaments to adorn their beauty. For thousands of years craftsmen have drawn inspiration from nature and creatively worked jade into various sizes, forms and shapes. Over time, layers of meaning have been associated with the essence and quality of jade objects.

Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community during the month of May and beyond! Visit sonomalibrary.org/AAPI for more events, recommended reads, and resources!