Non-Literal Use of “Jade”: A Study on “玉” (Yu) in Chinese Idioms

Among all common vehicles of Chinese metaphors, “jade” deserves some special attention. The concept of jade has vastly appeared in various contexts of Chinese poetry and idioms. The different references often correlate with specific jaderelated characters and tend to appear in a set of jade-X combinations that are entrenched in four-word-idioms. I believe the correlations are not arbitrary. According to Lakoff and Johnson (1980), whenever we form a metaphorical concept, we automatically highlight some aspects of the experience while hiding others. Here I aim at exploring the semantic motivations of the “jade-X” combinations and how they highlight the characteristics of each different tenor. Are the connections naturally developed, which is to say, do the similarities between jade and different “good features” physically exist or are they solely cultural-based? This article will draw data from both literary texts and conventional idioms and analyze the data from a cultural and historical perspective.