Presentation Information
[T9-O-2]The History of the Names Jadeitite and Nephrite as Explored in Mineral Textbooks
*Takahiko OGAWARA1 (1. Fossa Magna Museum)
Keywords:
Jadeitite,Nephrite,Itoigawa UNESCO Global Geopark
Jadeitite produced in Itoigawa City, Niigata, was designated as Japan's national stone by the Mineralogical Society of Japan in 2016. Jade can be broadly classified into two types: "Hard jade (jadeitite)" is primarily composed of jadeite, while "soft jade (nephrite)" is composed of amphibole minerals, including tremolite. Despite their apparent similarity, these two types of minerals are now recognized as distinct mineral species. In this presentation, we will examine textbooks and specialized books published from the Meiji era to the early Showa era, when modern Western mineralogy was introduced. We will detail the historical changes in how the terms "hard jade" and "soft jade" were introduced in Japan, the confusion that arose, and how they were eventually correctly distinguished and established, based on literature.
The Meiji Restoration was a period during which the government promoted the development of mining and the exploration of resources. This was part of a broader policy of enriching the nation and strengthening the military. As a result of this policy, modern geology and mineralogy from the West were actively introduced. However, the nomenclature of minerals, including jade, was initially in a state of confusion.
The author's research at the National Diet Library indicates that the terms "hard jade" and "soft jade" first appeared in Japanese literature in the 1894 publication "Textbook of General Mineralogy," which was compiled by Keigyo-sha. However, in this textbook, the properties of hard jade (jadeite) and soft jade (nephrite) were completely reversed in their descriptions. Jadeite, a type of pyroxene, was erroneously classified as an amphibole, and nephrite, a type of amphibole, was inaccurately described as pyroxene. Additionally, the hardness of both materials was misidentified.
This substantial error was not confined to a single occurrence. This concept was further disseminated through textbooks compiled by prominent scholars who dominated the fields of geology and mineralogy in Japan during that period. Notable figures such as Nishimatsu Jiro, Wakimizu Tetsugoro, and Hiki Tadashi, who held faculty positions at the University of Tokyo, contributed to this dissemination process. Despite the publication of revised editions, the error remained uncorrected. Consequently, a survey of 19 specialized books and textbooks related to minerals published between 1894 and 1908 revealed that this error was confirmed in 16 of them, accounting for 84% of the total (Figure 1). The root cause of this misinterpretation could not be ascertained in the present study. However, given the absence of such misuses in the overseas textbooks that were referenced (e.g., A Text-book of Mineralogy, 1877), it is hypothesized that the confusion emerged during the translation and compilation process in Japan and was perpetuated and solidified by academic authorities.
This misappropriation of jadeite and nephrite was addressed following the Taisho era (1912). In Sakata Isao's "The Latest Essentials of the Mineral World" (1925) and Kinoshita Kamijo et al.'s "Introduction to Mineralogy" (1933), jadeite and nephrite were correctly distinguished and described.
During the Meiji period, a period of approximately 15 years of serious confusion regarding the names and definitions of jadeitite (hard jade) and nephrite (soft jade) occurred in Japan as the nation accepted modern mineralogy. This misunderstanding disseminated extensively through textbooks authored by prominent scholars during the Meiji period. However, subsequent dissemination of accurate knowledge in educational settings led to the rectification of this misinformation. This case exemplifies the inherent challenge in distinguishing between jadeitite and nephrite, which bear a striking resemblance, as well as the complexity and significance of accurately introducing and establishing overseas academic knowledge within one's own linguistic framework.
The Meiji Restoration was a period during which the government promoted the development of mining and the exploration of resources. This was part of a broader policy of enriching the nation and strengthening the military. As a result of this policy, modern geology and mineralogy from the West were actively introduced. However, the nomenclature of minerals, including jade, was initially in a state of confusion.
The author's research at the National Diet Library indicates that the terms "hard jade" and "soft jade" first appeared in Japanese literature in the 1894 publication "Textbook of General Mineralogy," which was compiled by Keigyo-sha. However, in this textbook, the properties of hard jade (jadeite) and soft jade (nephrite) were completely reversed in their descriptions. Jadeite, a type of pyroxene, was erroneously classified as an amphibole, and nephrite, a type of amphibole, was inaccurately described as pyroxene. Additionally, the hardness of both materials was misidentified.
This substantial error was not confined to a single occurrence. This concept was further disseminated through textbooks compiled by prominent scholars who dominated the fields of geology and mineralogy in Japan during that period. Notable figures such as Nishimatsu Jiro, Wakimizu Tetsugoro, and Hiki Tadashi, who held faculty positions at the University of Tokyo, contributed to this dissemination process. Despite the publication of revised editions, the error remained uncorrected. Consequently, a survey of 19 specialized books and textbooks related to minerals published between 1894 and 1908 revealed that this error was confirmed in 16 of them, accounting for 84% of the total (Figure 1). The root cause of this misinterpretation could not be ascertained in the present study. However, given the absence of such misuses in the overseas textbooks that were referenced (e.g., A Text-book of Mineralogy, 1877), it is hypothesized that the confusion emerged during the translation and compilation process in Japan and was perpetuated and solidified by academic authorities.
This misappropriation of jadeite and nephrite was addressed following the Taisho era (1912). In Sakata Isao's "The Latest Essentials of the Mineral World" (1925) and Kinoshita Kamijo et al.'s "Introduction to Mineralogy" (1933), jadeite and nephrite were correctly distinguished and described.
During the Meiji period, a period of approximately 15 years of serious confusion regarding the names and definitions of jadeitite (hard jade) and nephrite (soft jade) occurred in Japan as the nation accepted modern mineralogy. This misunderstanding disseminated extensively through textbooks authored by prominent scholars during the Meiji period. However, subsequent dissemination of accurate knowledge in educational settings led to the rectification of this misinformation. This case exemplifies the inherent challenge in distinguishing between jadeitite and nephrite, which bear a striking resemblance, as well as the complexity and significance of accurately introducing and establishing overseas academic knowledge within one's own linguistic framework.
