To the great advantage of the beauty of their art, Chinese carvers of jade were guided by themes and decorative motifs in the shaping of their carvings and the choices of decorative motifs adorning them[Ref1-7]. 

In the Neolithic Era of China ritual jade carvings found in burials reflecting the cosmology of the heavens and the social status of the buried person appeared. The bi disc appeared circa 3400 BC and the cong appearing circa 3300 BC were complementary to each other[Ref8,9]. The circular bi disc with a hole at its center as shown in Figure 1 represented the heavens and the cong with its square cross section with a hole at its center as shown in Figure 2 represented the earth below appeared. Jade carvings of burial objects which reflected attributes of social status, such as authority and power such as the beautiful blade shown in Figure 3 and the coiled dragon amulet shown in Figure 4 appeared in the late Neolithic era 

Themes and design motifs from the philosophies of Taoism beginning in the 3^rd-4^th Centuries BC[Ref10] and Confucianism beginning within the time span of 551-479 BC[Ref11], the Buddhist Religion from the 1^st Century AD[Ref12], and mythology with a timeline spanning from 36,0000 years before The Creation to 2852 BC[Ref13] have been lasting influences in jade and jadeite carving into the present day

Taoism embraces nature in its emphasizing the coexistence and harmony between humanity and nature[Ref14]. These relationships can be seen in the jade mountain carvings featuring notable men, such as scholars or leaders of society or of villagers in forest settings as shown in Figures 5 and 6 Appreciation of nature in Taoism also appears in the rich symbology accorded to both animal and plant forms adorning carved jade art objects as shown and described in Figures 7-10. 

The innate respect accorded to men of learning and leaders of the royal court and of society in Confucianism[Ref15] may also have influenced the symbology of jade mountain carvings and statues of court functionaries as shown in Figures 11-15.

Four categories of images of different levels of beings in Buddhist cosmology are found in Chinese jade carvings: images of The Buddha, images of Bodhisattvas, images of deities, spirits, heavenly beings, kings of wisdom, and guardian god that serve as protectors of Buddhism[Ref17]. Carved images of The Buddha and other deities are shown and described in Figures 16-22.

Themes from Chinese mythology have been richly incorporated in jade carvings. Carvings of historical humans, animals, plants, and places from Chinese mythology are shown and described in Figures 23-29.

Neolithic Ritual and Ornamental Jade Carvings

Jade and Jadeite Carvings with Taoist Themes and Motifs

Jade Carvings with Confuscian Themes and Motifs

Jade and Jadeite Carvings with Themes and Motifs from Chinese Mythology

REFERENCES

Ref 1. https://www.gia.edu/doc/Jade-Forms-from-Ancient-China.pdf

Ref 2. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/daoi/hd_daoi.htm

Ref 3. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/budd/hd_budd.htm

Ref 4. 

https://culture.teldap.tw/culture/index.php?option%3Dcom_content%26id%3D1960:art-in-quest-of-heaven-and-truth-chinese-jades-through-the-ages

Ref 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_jade

Ref 6. https://jadenature.com/blogs/jade-culture/ramble-on-the-connotation-and-value-of-jade-culture-in-confucianism-buddhism-and-taoism

Ref 7. http://chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/The_Mythology_of_Jade

Ref 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bi_(jade)

Ref 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cong_(vessel)

Ref 10. Taoism Origins, Taoism History, Taoism Beliefs

Ref 11. Professing Faith: For Confucius, teaching and service was his prayer – Redlands Daily Facts

Ref 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhism

Ref 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Chinese_mythology

Ref 14. https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d674d7a45444f34457a6333566d54/index.html

Ref 15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism

Ref 16. https://www.masonkay.com/chinese-art-symbols

Ref 17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_deities

Ref 18. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316736522_Timeless_Destinations_Stories_of_the_People_behind_Wu_Dacheng’s_Jade_Cang_Bi_Orientations_47326-33/figures?lo=1

Ref 19.  https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/imperial-china/neolithic-art-china/a/jade-cong-and-bi

Ref 20. https://www.bidsquare.com/online-auctions/artemis-gallery/large-ritualistic-chinese-longshan-jade-blade-1396348

Ref 21. https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/history/prehistoric/longshan_culture.htm

Ref 22. 

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/imperial-china/neolithic-art-china/a/chinese-jade-an-introduction

Ref 23. https://collections.artsmia.org/art/4324/jade-mountain-illustrating-the-gathering-of-scholars-at-the-lanting-pavilion-china

Ref 24. https://www.gia.edu/doc/Jade-Forms-from-Ancient-China.pdfhttps://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/zhejiang/shaoxing/orchid_pavilion.htm

Ref 25 https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/zhejiang/shaoxing/orchid_pavilion.htm

Ref 26. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/schg/hd_schg.htm

Ref 27. http://harn.ufl.edu/linkedfiles/k-12resource-chinesejades.pdf

Ref 28. https://www.bukowskis.com/en/auctions/580/208-a-large-chinese-carved-jade-pine-tree-with-birds-20th-century

Ref 29. https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-pair-of-chinese-carved-jade-deer-decorations-50-c-f6145aaa8a

Ref 30. http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat7/sub40/item260.html

Ref 31.  https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/ceramics-vo-hk0393/lot.3256.html

Ref 32. https://www.chairish.com/product/834647/green-jadeite-carving-of-peach-with-young-monkeys

Ref 33. https://www.pinterest.ch/pin/433893745335753018/