Many wonder, perhaps yourself included: can feng shui really do all the things its adherents claim it can do? Can tidying your home and moving around the furniture really have that kind of effect on your life and health? It's good to have a healthy level of skepticism since there are a lot of unscrupulous types out there trying to sell so-called feng shui accessories, most of which have no relation whatsoever to the practice of this ancient art.

For instance, take jade. Is jade an element of feng shui? What is the use of jade in feng shui? It is a common gemstone in Asia, but what is the real reason some tie jade and feng shui together? What, if anything does jade have to do with feng shui? Let's look at this question in a little more detail and see how and why jade and feng shui have acquired this association with each other.

The History of Jade and Feng Shui Applications

Theres no mistaking the fact that jade is a popular metal element in Asian cultures, particularly in China. In ancient times, jade was abundant, and because of its softness it could easily be shaped into various forms, unlike diamonds and other stones which had to be worked tirelessly in order to be cut and polished.

Jade and feng shui were not always intertwined and you will find no mention of jade in ancient texts dealing with the practice of feng shui. Feng shui in fact does not ascribe special properties to jade. Nonetheless, there is no mistaking the degree to which this gem is prized in Chinese culture.

Jade held the sort of place in the culture of the ancient Chinese empire that in the West was held by gold and diamonds. Not only used for luxury items and religious objects, jade was also used for the funerary accoutrement of royalty.

Jade and Feng Shui Come to the West

As Feng shui became popular in the western cultures, it cam to be highly misquoted. Scores of self proclaimed feng shui experts found good money by adulterating the teachings. The healing power of Jade and feng shui got them easy money from unsuspecting people. Jade was an important element in the Chinese culture, and feng shui was originated from china as well. For these unscrupulous feng shui experts, it was easy to make these two seem intertwined in history.

Historically feng shui does not preach anything about any such healing powers of jade. It's not considered lucky as it was being portrayed in the west. You could use jade in feng shui simply as another metal element added to a room or as apiece of artwork for aesthetic purpose. Jade would then work but separately it holds no such magical or special significance.