Jade has long carried the cultural beliefs and the spiritual character of the Chinese people. Xiuyan jade, in particular, looks back on a long history of use: more than 10,000 years ago, the material of a jade chopping tool unearthed at the Xiaogushan site in Haicheng, Liaoning province came from Xiuyan; and more than 5,000 years ago, in the Hongshan culture, the C-shaped jade dragon, hailed as "the first dragon of China", and the archaic jade pig-dragon were carved largely from Xiuyan jade.

Today, this ancient jade has been transformed where tradition meets renewal, carrying the spirit of craftsmanship and traditional aesthetics. Among Xiuyan jade carvings are prized works that have won the highest award in Chinese folk literature and art, alongside large numbers of workshop pieces that have entered the market and taken root in everyday life.

Hundreds of thousands of practitioners now draw on a mature industry to explore the contemporary expression of Xiuyan jade. While upholding time-honored techniques and safeguarding the roots of this intangible cultural heritage, the development and use of Xiuyan jade continue to break through traditional boundaries, embracing both the ancient and the modern, and the craft brims with renewed vitality.