Experts believe that ancient craftsmen in China used diamonds for making their stone ritual burial axes, about 6,000 years ago. Harvard researchers unearthed compelling evidence that ancient Chinese used these clear stones with a high level of skill. What they did to diamonds is challenging to imitate even with modern techniques and tools.
Since diamonds tend to be billions of years old, it’s not surprising to find out that these stones are always incorporated in Chinese culture. They have always been combined with other stones that are valuable to the Chinese. The Lungshanoid people made animal pendants that were meant to be talismans. As thousands of years passed, jewelry in China evolved. Each piece became a symbol of wealth and high social status. Every jewelry creation also carried superstitious and metaphorical symbolism. One could only expect this from the Chinese culture, which is extremely old.
To the Chinese, the jewelry should always have designs with stones, animals, and flowers. Certain pieces should always celebrate certain occasions like childbirth or engagement.
Diamonds, Feng Shui, and Engagement
The energy inside diamonds and other precious stones determines their goodness or badness. Engagement diamond rings have a history filled with various combinations of stones and crystals. Rubies have their passion. Emeralds represent good luck and vitality. Sapphires reflect devotion and loyalty.
When you speak of diamonds in Chinese culture, you refer to the king of all precious stones. The diamond is one of Mother Nature’s brightest gems. It is known for its healing and protective properties. To many, it is the perfect stone to express eternal love. In feng shui, diamonds exude a type of energy that establishes faithfulness and trust in the relationship. Traditionally, only one diamond should be set in an engagement ring. It means that the woman is the only one in the man’s life. The energy of a larger diamond is more enduring than the energy of a small one.
If you want a large diamond that is surrounded by small ones, you get good feng shui energy. This is so much better than having three diamonds. To feng shui experts, three is never a good number for engagement diamond rings. Couples should also avoid this number in any home décor, especially in the bedroom.
The Modern Chinese Perception
Millennials in China buy diamonds more often than anyone else in the world. Diamonds are investments. They are precious stones that express your truest feelings for another person. Yet, for single people, diamonds symbolize financial independence. Statistics show that about 40 percent of Chinese women find financial independence more important than committing to a life partner. At least 30 percent of them think that financial independence is equivalent to success.
Because of this shift, many jewelers have started changing their focus from marriage to empowerment. Their chosen brand ambassadors make this possible. Many jewelry companies continue to realize that marriage is not like a diamond that lasts forever. Diamonds represent the extraordinary women who do not want an unequal marriage. Strong, brilliant, resilient, and beautiful, just like women, diamonds only become more stunning under pressure.
The Symbolism
These precious stones are known for their pure beauty. They represent wisdom and clarity. The shape of diamonds plays a major role in alchemy. A diamond’s four sides represent the four basic elements in Nature—water, earth, water, and fire. When you talk about wisdom from diamonds, it is a higher level of wisdom that discusses topics beyond ordinary life situations. Life often subjects us to a thick fog of uncertainties. In the Chinese tradition, this crystal clear stone enables us to see our goals from a new perspective. This stone helps its wearer go through difficult situations with flying colors.
Diamonds aren’t just stunning in Chinese tradition. They possess a certain kind of energy that allows you to resolve your issues and provide you with a different perspective. Although expensive, most Chinese millennials purchase diamonds because they show financial independence. Diamonds seem to have evolved from being a symbol of eternal, enduring love to empowerment in women. Despite these changes, Chinese beliefs about diamonds still stand to this day. Now that the Chinese New Year is just around the corner, perhaps a diamond gift is an order for a loved one or yourself.