Culture

Turquoise

In Tibet, in addition to the Lame temples, the most eye-catching objects are probably the traditional head ornaments worn by the local people, which can be very colorful. Red, yellow and blue turquoise stone bean-shaped pendant combine to form dazzling and beautiful head-dresses.

Turquoise is a type of jade with a unique watery copper-blue color. This originates from aluminum phosphate within the rock. It accumulates as deposits in river sediments and is formed by the interaction between the copper-laden surface water and aluminiferous and phosphoric minerals or rocks.

Brilliant sky-blue is considered as the best quality for turquoise, with light-blueas the runner-up. In addition, there is blue-green, green and bluish white. Dense, smooth turquoise is hard and shiny and resembles glazed porcelain. This is the highest quality and is known as 'Porcelain Turquoise' the dense and smooth types are called 'Hard Turquoise'; while the rough and soft varieties are referred to as 'Soft' or 'Loose'. These latter types are less shiny and have little viewing value. They usually have many black or brown lines across the surface, which form a web or vein pattern. Composed mainly of limonite, these lines are knows I'ron Lines'. Although the best turquoise is characterized by bring and smooth colours and is free of iron lines, the lined turquoises are favoured as strung ornament and decorations.

Turquoise has been popular since ancient times. In the Neolithic Era, more than 6,000 years ago, the inhabitants of the Feiligang Area in Hainan Province were making turquoise into small ornaments, using grinding techniques. In the Xia and Shang Era, dating back three to four thousand years, the craftsmen in the central plains of China also skillfully cut and ground turquoise into small ornaments. In addition they were able to drill and inlay small pieces of shaped turquoise into bronze ivory to compose mysterious animal shapes, according to the records in a work called the 'A Compilation of Picture Studies of the Qing Dynasty'. To quote this book : 'For the emperors' court beads and decoration, only lazurite is used in the Temple of Heaven, amber in the Temple of Earth, coral in the Altar to the Sun, turquoise in the Temple of Moon. ' Tibetan Buddhism believers have a particular esteem for turquoise for they believe the sky-blue turquoise possesses the color of health and is the symbol of 'life' while the white or black turquoise symbolizes 'death'. Tibetans also believe that wearing rings made of turquoise will bless the traveler and guarantee a safe journey. Meanwhile, wearing earrings made of turquoise promises that one will not be reincarnated as donkey in the next life. And seeing turquoise in one's dreams is a symbol of good luck and happiness. To summaries, turquoise has many implication in the traditions and doctrines of Tibetan Buddhism; the fact that turquoise is seen everywhere at Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies is ample proof of its honorable position in the mind of the people.