金生丽水，玉出昆岗。北京奥运会奖牌的用材是昆仑玉，采用传统的金镶玉工艺制作而成。金玉良缘，玉出昆仑，写就了一出昆仑玉的现代传奇。 位于昆仑山脉中段的喀拉塔什山被誉为群玉之山，新疆和田地区的玉龙喀什河与克里雅河都出产羊脂玉。这两条河是昆仑玉文化之源，也是中华民族玉文化的主要发祥地，形成了五千年来贯通中西的玉石之路。 这神秘的群玉之山和古老的玉石之路，对于作者有着神秘的吸引力。作者和当地的驮队，深入昆仑山腹地，考察群玉之山和玉石之路。一路上，作者饱览昆仑美景，遍阅自然天成的奇石美玉，感受当地人素朴的情怀和玉石文化，当然，还经历了惊心动魄的生死惊魂。由此，作者完成了对玉石文化的朝圣，而读者也可借此作一番神游物外的精神远游。

This catalogue features 300 outstanding pieces from Joseph Hotung's collection of Chinese jades and provides a comprehensive survey of 6000 years of development. The jades are arranged by type, shape and function (ritual and ceremonial) and form a significant reference for scholars and collectors, comparing them with the collections of the British Museum. Recent discoveries in China from hitherto little-known Neolithic cultures of around 3000 BC have highlighted the extraordinary skills of the craftsmen and the complexity of the cultures that supported them. Other remarkable finds include the precursors of the famous jade suits, which range from jade plaques and shrouds dating from about 900 BC to superb pendants and sword fittings carved for a king buried near Canton in around 122 BC. The illustrated section, divided chronologically, is followed by a bibliography of sources, both English and Chinese.

在中国古代，玉作为礼器祭祀天地、诸神。除此以外，玉常用于人们的装饰、冠饰及玉具剑的佩饰。玉是美好、高尚的象征。《礼记聘义》中记载了孔子的一段话：“昔者君子比德于玉焉。温润而泽，仁也。”玉的文化就是中国几千年文化的缩影，它充溢了中国整个的历史时期，时至今日，中国古代的玉文化，对我们的现实生活及社会文明仍然有着极为重要的指导意义。 《玉雅》是以夏商周上三代的玉器、礼器为主要内容。原作为现代人李凤公所撰。本书记述了玉的产地、名称的解释、雕琢工艺、各种玉器的造型以及玉器的各种奇闻异事。