Jade Market and Jade Street
The Chinese character for jade is a combination of the
words for beauty and purity, but there’s far more behind the Chinese obsession
with this stone than looks. Jade has been long associated with long life and
good health in Chinese culture, making it a prized material for good-luck
charms. Few Hong Kong newborns will be left to start life without a jade
bracelet from grandma, and people of all ages receive new amulets each year
based on their zodiac signs and computations of the ancient Chinese almanac.
In Hong Kong, the jade business is most active at the Jade
Market in Kowloon. While there’s been a lot of redevelopment in the area in
recent years, some vestiges of its past have been saved, such as the
colonial-era police station. Nearby, a three-tonne jade stone marks the strip
of Canton Road known as Jade Street. However, if shopping takes your fancy over
architecture and monuments, you won’t be disappointed with the quality and
quantity of jade being sold by the more than 400 stalls here. The most common
items to be poked through are jade accessories, including rings, bangles,
pendants and earrings, but expect to come across some more unusual finds as
well.
If you like the idea of having a bit more control over the
luck in your life, this is the place to pick up an authentic Chinese good-luck
charm. Based on the year you were born, and according to the Chinese almanac,
one particular animal will be appropriate for you to wear and should be changed
each year according to your changing fortune. The stall keepers will be able to
help you choose the right one. If your needs are more cosmetic, most stall
keepers will also happily make slight alterations or even tailor a piece to
your own taste. And remember to smile if your piece breaks, because this
merely means some bad luck was headed your way and the amulet took a hit on
your behalf. You’ll just have to replace it, which is one more good reason to
come back to Hong Kong.
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