From there some expert technicians 'shaped' the pieces into whatever objects were best suited from the quality and size of the jade pieces. The machinery they used had a very sharp blade that was kept cool by a steady stream of water.
There was another smaller room where the hand-carving was done.
This was another government run factory, and once again the prices were fixed at a supposedly low rate that guaranteed quality. The display rooms were huge!!! There were several of them. We were given a demonstration in how to distinguish the best quality of jade using a couple of bracelets
and clinking them with a jade bar. All the women in the group guessed the high quality, but a couple of men chose the more inferior one, just going by the looks. There were some fabulous pieces on display, huge pieces that were 
very intricately carved. Without a doubt there was something for everyone...nope, I didn't buy anything...I'm not their most favourite kind of tourist! I might have been tempted here and at several other places had I had a place to live.
Jade is generally classified into soft jade (nephrite) and hard jade (jadeite). Since China only had the soft jade until jadeite was imported from Burma during the Qing dynasty (1271-1368), jade traditionally refers to the soft jade so it is also called traditional jade.Ancient jade of China was used in rituals and adornment for some 9000 years. Although other materials like gold, silver and bronze were also used, none of these have ever exceeded the spiritual position that jade has acquired in peoples' minds - it is associated with merit, morality, grace and dignity.
Jadeite is now more popular and valuable than the soft jade in China. http://chineseculture.about.com/cs/history/a/JadeCulture.htm
Jade is really special in Chinese culture, and is valued more than diamonds, like in the Western World. It comes in many different colours from different parts of China and the world. In China, the most reputable jade producing area is Hetian in Xinjiang Province.
