Feiyuehui Studios · 翡月荟 · The Jadeite Guide
Study Notes
Light can pass through jadeite without creating the concentrated inner glow described as qi ying. The distinction invites closer observation.
This Feiyuehui Studios study explores translucency and the optical character known in Chinese as 起荧. They are related, but they are not interchangeable.
The film considers how fine internal texture, thickness, proportion and curvature work together. Their relationship becomes especially revealing as a piece moves under light.
Rather than judging a stone only by how much light it transmits, the study asks us to observe the character of the light we see.
The finest jadeite does not simply transmit light.
It gives light form.
FEIYUEHUI STUDIOS · EP02
TRANSLUCENCY & QI YING
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Key Observations
- Translucency and qi ying describe different aspects of jadeite’s appearance.
- Qi ying refers here to a concentrated, glow-like optical appearance within the stone.
- Fine internal texture is part of the picture, alongside shape and thickness.
- Curvature, proportion and translucency influence the stone’s response to light.
- Observation in motion can reveal differences that a single view does not.
翡翠通透度与起荧
翡翠的通透度与“起荧”有关联，却不是同一个概念。透光并不自动意味着具有集中、细腻的视觉光感；观察时还要结合质地、厚度和光线条件。
本期翡月荟 Feiyuehui Studios 解释 translucency 与 qi ying 的区别。“起荧”在这里描述翡翠的视觉光感，不等同于紫外线照射下的荧光反应。
Transcript
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Original accompanying text, edited for reading.
In fine jadeite, translucency and qi ying are often mentioned together — but they are not the same thing.
Translucency describes how light enters and passes through the material. A piece of jadeite may appear remarkably translucent, yet still lack the distinctive optical quality collectors describe in Chinese as qi ying (起荧).
Qi ying can be perceived as a concentrated glow within the jadeite, one that appears to shift subtly as the piece moves under light.
Why does this happen?
An exceptionally fine and compact crystalline structure is an important foundation, but it is not the only factor. Thickness, proportion, curvature, and translucency can all influence the way light interacts with the material and ultimately returns to the eye.
This is why translucency alone should never be treated as a complete measure of jadeite quality — and why two pieces that initially appear similarly translucent can reveal very different optical character when observed in motion.
Understanding fine jadeite means learning to observe not only color or translucency, but the behavior of light within the material.
The finest jadeite does not simply transmit light.
It gives light form.