Book Description
This is the story and background of how an orphan Chinese boy, with Gods blessing, created the world-renowned Jade Pagoda and its priceless companion collection and how it was lost to not only 1.4 billion Chinese but also to the people of the United States and the world. The centerpiece of this jade collection is the Jade Pagoda that took the blood and sweat of 150 Chinese jade artisans over ten years to complete. It was carved from the largest jadeite boulder ever mined from a quarry in Northern Burma (Myanmar). These jade workers labored between 1922 and 1933 by hand-and-foot power, using only the crudest of tools to carve the most intricate spectacle in the world today. The pagoda was not only the lifetime realization of the dream of jade connoisseur Chang Wen Ti but also an intended icon for world peace and friendship that Chang had so fervently promoted. The city of Oakland was chosen as the recipient of the largest gift ever donated by one family as a gesture of goodwill between the Chinese and the Americans on behalf of the Chinese people. This pagoda has been rightfully called the eighth wonder of the world by its many admirers and those who have viewed it in person. This book is about the magnificent Jade Pagoda and the man who brought it to fruition.
