Serpentine 岫玉
By the Zen by Meyatu Editorial Team · Updated
| Mineral group | Magnesium silicates (serpentine group) |
| Mohs hardness | 2.5 – 5.5 (grade-dependent) |
| Color | Spring green to olive, soapy-smooth feel |
| Heritage | Carved since the Hongshan Neolithic (~7,000 yrs) |
| Classic source | Xiuyan, Liaoning — one of China’s four famous jades |
| Five-element | Metal 金 (pale sheen) |
| Tradition | Renewal, harmony, jade-culture calm |
Serpentine is China's oldest carved stone. Millennia before jadeite reached China, Neolithic carvers of the Hongshan culture were shaping 岫玉 — Xiuyan serpentine — into dragons and ritual discs. When our chain necklace strings serpentine, it strings the longest continuous lapidary tradition on earth.
What is serpentine?
Serpentine names a group of magnesium silicate minerals with a smooth, slightly soapy feel and colors from spring green to olive. Hardness varies across the group (Mohs 2.5–5.5); the compact jewelry grades polish to a soft glow that reads remarkably like jade — which is exactly how Chinese tradition treats it. Xiuyan in Liaoning province, the classic source, gives the stone its Chinese name and its place among China's four famous jades.
Is serpentine the same as jade?
Mineralogically no — "true" jade is jadeite or nephrite, both harder. Culturally, largely yes: 岫玉 has been carved, valued and worn within the Chinese jade tradition for seven thousand years, longer than either. When you see affordable green "jade" carvings with genuine history behind them, serpentine is usually the honest answer. We name it plainly: serpentine, sold as serpentine.
What does serpentine traditionally mean?
Renewal and quiet vitality. Its spring-green color ties it to new growth; the jade tradition it belongs to associates smooth green stone with harmony, health and gentlemanly calm (the Confucian virtues famously compared to jade). In the five-element reading our catalog follows, its pale sheen aligns with Metal — clarity and refinement. Tradition offered as tradition, as ever.
How do I care for serpentine?
Like soft jade: no ultrasonic cleaning, no harsh chemicals, no rock-climbing wear. Wipe with a soft cloth, occasional lukewarm rinse, store away from harder stones. The soapy-smooth polish is the stone's signature — it deepens slightly with years of skin contact, which tradition considers the stone coming alive.
Pieces Made With Serpentine
New Serpentine pieces are in the works. In the meantime, explore related stones and our current collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is serpentine real jade?
Mineralogically no — true jade is jadeite or nephrite. Culturally, largely yes: 岫玉 has been carved and worn within the Chinese jade tradition for some seven thousand years, longer than either. We name it plainly: serpentine, sold as serpentine.
Why does serpentine feel soapy?
The serpentine group’s layered magnesium-silicate structure gives a characteristic smooth, slightly soapy touch — the polish deepens with years of skin contact, which tradition reads as the stone "coming alive."
What does it traditionally mean?
Renewal and quiet vitality — spring-green new growth, plus the harmony and calm the Confucian jade tradition attaches to smooth green stone.
How do I care for it?
Like soft jade: no ultrasonic cleaners, no harsh chemicals, wipe with a soft cloth, store away from harder stones.
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