"Jade" in English covers two different minerals. Nephrite – called Hetian jade (和田玉) in China – is an amphibole (tremolite–actinolite). Jadeite – called feicui (翡翠) – is a pyroxene. Both are genuine jade, but they look, feel and are valued differently.
| Hetian jade (nephrite) | Jadeite (feicui) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral | Tremolite–actinolite amphibole | Sodium-aluminium pyroxene |
| Hardness (Mohs) | about 6–6.5 | about 6.5–7 |
| Toughness | Extremely tough – interlocking fibres resist breaking | Tough, but more brittle than nephrite |
| Density | about 2.9–3.1 g/cm³ | about 3.3 g/cm³ (feels heavier) |
| Lustre | Soft, oily or waxy ("like mutton fat") | Glassy, vitreous |
| Typical colours | White, celadon, yellow, green (biyu), black, black-and-white | Green (incl. "imperial"), lavender, white, yellow, red |
| What drives price | Whiteness, fineness, oiliness, seed vs. mountain material, carving | Translucency ("water"), colour intensity, texture |
In China, "Hetian jade" is a gem name under the national gemstone naming standard, defined by mineral composition (tremolite–actinolite nephrite) rather than by place of origin: it is not limited to stone from Hotan in Xinjiang. Nephrite from Qinghai, Russia or Korea can also be certified as "Hetian jade", so ask the seller where the material comes from and what the certificate says.
Chinese tradition has prized nephrite for thousands of years – it is the jade of ritual objects, scholars and emperors. Jadeite became popular in China only from the 18th century.
Yes. Hetian jade is nephrite, one of the two minerals recognised as jade.
Both range from inexpensive to extremely valuable. Top white seed nephrite and top green jadeite are both highly priced; see our price guide for Hetian jade.
Yufu Hetian Jade (御府和田玉) · Shanghai Yufu Crafts Co., Ltd. · founded 2002 by jade carver Fu Xuefei · Showroom: Palm Spring Garden, Lane 3800 Dongda Road, Tangzhen, Pudong, Shanghai (by appointment). Free insured international shipping; import duties paid by the buyer; non-custom pieces returnable within 7 days of delivery (return shipping paid by the buyer). Prices in CNY; USD figures are approximate (1 USD ≈ 6.69 CNY). Updated 2026-11-07.