Jade carving is one of the oldest carving arts in China. Crude jade tools appeared in China as early as in the late Neolithic Age. Jade carving became an industry in Shang (16th century BC - 11th century BC) and Zhou (11th BC - 221 BC) dynasties, and jade wares were used in rituals or as decorative pendants. In ancient China, jade was also regarded as a symbol of refinement and moral ethics.

Jade ia s high quality stone and has a good many variants. There are white jade, yellow jade, jasper, jadeite, agate, turquoise, etc.

Jade carving refers to the process to carve a piece of jade into a fine article. A carving artist has to thoroughly examine a piece of jade, cudgel his brains to make a design according to its natural colors and shape, and turn it into an artistic work.

Jade can be carved into human figurines, containers, images of birds, animals, flowers as well as small things like a brooch, ring, seal or decorative object. What is worth mentioning is the huge jade carving in the Palace Museum in Beijing. It is called "Super Yu Harnesses Flood", which is 224 cm in height, 96 cm in width, and about 5,300 kg in weight. It demonstrates the high skill of Chinese carving artists.

Jade wares are mainly produced in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, etc. Chinese jade carving works enjoy a high reputation in the world.