According to Hou Yancheng, a jade collector, cultural heritage appraiser and director of China Research Society of Ancient Jadeware, over the past two decades, the value of jade from this region has reportedly increased 1,000-fold, and the increasingly skyward bids issued at auctions in recent years have indicated a growing interest in jadeware collection.

The same year, at Sotheby's Hong Kong autumn auction, a 6-centimeter "Tai Shang Huang Di" White Jade Seal, carved in 1796 to mark the abdication of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), went to a Chinese collector for $5.92 million. The purchase set a new world record for auctioned white jade.

"Tai Shang Huang Di" White Jade Seal

The past years have also seen hundreds of thousands of curio and antique markets of different sizes boom across the country.

In addition to the more than 30 widely circulated magazines and newspapers about jewelry, art collection and investment, a slew of new TV programs on these topics are finding their way onto the airwaves.

The most popular among these include Gathering of Treasure-holders (Jian Bao) on China Central Television's Channel 2 and Smashing Faked Treasures (Tianxia Baozang) on Beijing Television's Channel 1.

Some experts predict that the number of jade collectors in China will continue to increase, with the art and antique markets improving and the passage of new laws offering greater protection to collectors.

By Wang Nan