Broken Bangle | The Blunder-Besmirched History Of Jade Nomenclature, by Liu Shang-i, Richard W. Hughes, Zhou Zhengyu and Kaylan Khourie
Announcing…
BROKEN BANGLE
THE BLUNDER-BESMIRCHED HISTORY OF JADE NOMENCLATURE
26 August 2024 — For Immediate Release
Lotus Gemology, in conjunction with Zhuang Qingfang, The Gemmological Association of Hong Kong, On Tung Jewellery, Junhao Gemology and Pinde Xuan, announce the publication of Broken Bangle | The Blunder-Besmirched History of Jade Nomenclature.
Featuring works from the studios of some of China’s leading contemporary jade and stone carvers,
the book is an in-depth discussion of jade nomenclature
and is authored by Liu Shang-i, Richard W. Hughes, Zhou Zhengyu and Kaylan Khourie.
Broken Bangle takes readers through the entire tortuous history of jade nomenclature, detailing how the current monikers were based on misinformation and misunderstanding of the gems’ true natures. Thus, the Chinese gem yù (amphibole jade) was named “nephrite” by French mineralogist Alexis Damour in the mistaken belief it was the same as the Mesoamerican pyroxene jade that a 16th Century Spanish doctor himself misinterpreted as being used to treat kidney disease (‘nephritus’). Later, Damour created a mineral species he called “jadeite” for what was actually a gem rock already known in China as fei cui.
But this gemological whodunit is much more than a dry recitation of jade nomenclature. It includes a detailed section on the occurrence and mineralogy of both yù (nephrite) and fei cui. Because jade is so intimately connected with Chinese culture, much of the Middle Kingdom’s fascinating history is also woven through its pages.
Did we mention the illustrations? Broken Bangle features dozens of color images of both historical documents and spectacular photos of contemporary jade and stone carving in China.
For those whose mental picture of jade sculpture is a cliché Chinese goddess statue, prepare to have your minds blown.
Lead author Liu Shang-i summed up the book’s major aim:
Our understanding of the world is deeply influenced by the names we assign to things. As history, culture, and scientific inquiry evolve, it becomes essential to assign accurate and fitting names to these unique types of jade that embody Chinese heritage. This nomenclature should reflect its cultural significance and resonate with both historical context and contemporary understanding.
Co-author Zhou Zhengyu added:
There is an ancient saying in China termed “casting a brick to attract jade.” Any book or article is only a stage of understanding, and this understanding, if it can be better than before, is progress. Our work is certainly not the last word on the subject, but we hope it will help improve people’s understanding of this gem’s fascinating history and inspire others to research the subject further.
Not unlike a brick thrown in the hopes of attracting jade.
This edition of Broken Bangle is limited to just 600 copies. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy not just superb scholarship, but also extraordinary examples of China’s modern jade culture.
Broken Bangle | The Blunder-Besmirched History of Jade Nomenclature
By Liu Shang-i, Richard W. Hughes, Zhou Zhengyu and Kaylan Khourie
Published in Bangkok by Lotus Gemology; 120 pp.; hardcover; 240 x 280 mm.; full color;
ISBN: 978-0-9645097-8-8 Price: US$60;
Available 1 September 2024 at LotusGemology.com LOTUS GEM•ology Co. Ltd.
Silom 19 Building, Suite 411 45/1 Soi 19, Silom Rd Bangkok 10500 | Thailand
Tel: +66 (0)2 117 3616 Email: info@lotusgemology.com | Web: www.lotusgemology.com
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
LIU SHANG-I (‘EDWARD’) Dr. Liu Shang-i is a renowned research geologist and gemologist long engaged in the study of gem and mineral physics and mineral materials. He is a frequent speaker at gemological conferences worldwide and has published numerous articles in major journals on gems using new analytical testing methods. Liu was heavily involved with the (Hong Kong) Fei Cui Testing Methods and Laboratory Management System Development Project. He also serves as Chairman of the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong. (gemedward@hotmail.com)
RICHARD W. HUGHES One of the world’s foremost experts on ruby and sapphire, Richard is the author of several books and over 170 articles. His writings and photography have appeared in a diverse range of publications and he has received numerous industry awards over the course of his 45-year career in gemology. In 2014, Richard founded Lotus Gemology with his wife, Wimon Manorotkul, and daughter, E. Billie Hughes. He is an advisor to the Fei Cui Standard Project of the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong. (richard@lotusgemology.com)
ZHOU ZHENGYU (‘ADAM’) Dr. Zhou Zhengyu is Director of the Gemology Education Center of Shanghai’s Tongji University and a world authority on Chinese nephrite. He has been engaged in the teaching of, and scientific research in, gemology since 2006. The author of nine books and over 80 articles on gems and gemology, he is also one of the editors-in-chief of China’s National Gemological Planning Textbooks for higher education. Adam is also the Deputy Secretary General of the Jewelry Committee of China Association for Quality Inspection. (adamszzyu@126.com)
KAYLAN KHOURIE Born in South Africa, Kaylan has a decade of advanced laboratory experience focusing on the study of diamonds and gemstones. A Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA) since 2017, he has a special interest in unique gems, rare synthetics and abnormal treatments. Kaylan’s first publication after joining Bangkok’s Lotus Gemology in 2023 was a detailed study of the hardness of fei cui in the Journal of the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong. (kaylan@lotusgemology.com)
