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The Gamble Within the Gamble
墨書 Inktalez
In the bustling Delong Night Market at night, I wandered around aimlessly after finishing my meal. The path was particularly difficult to navigate; the narrow walkway was crowded with stalls on both sides. The night market was devoid of lights, shrouded in darkness, and the narrow aisles were filled with people, each holding a flashlight. The chaotic beams of light illuminated the stalls on either side, creating a scene that stretched endlessly, with every vendor selling only one thing: jade.
The jade stones here were divided into two types. One type was wrapped in a layer of stone and mud, commonly referred to as "skin shell," which represented raw jade; within the industry, it was called "gambling stone." The other type consisted of jade that had already been cut in half, known as "Test-cut jade," or small pieces waiting to be processed, referred to as "Exposed jadeite rough." As the name suggests, Exposed jadeite rough clearly displayed its quality and color, making it easy to assess. Prices were usually negotiated based on experience and discussions with the vendors.
A piece of raw jade that had been cut was called Test-cut jade, while smaller pieces were referred to as Raw Material. I had only been wandering for a few minutes when I witnessed a transaction taking place. A buyer was inspecting a small piece of black-skinned gambling stone known as Mo Mo Liang. Although it was tiny, its quality seemed decent. Mo Mo Liang was located not far from Mo Wanji and primarily consisted of cement skin with good water content, making it appealing due to its color potential.
As I approached the stall, I realized the buyer had already expressed interest and was haggling over the price. The vendor initially quoted 20,000 yuan, but after some back-and-forth negotiation, they settled on 7,000 yuan for the small stone, which was then sent to a cutter.
My master once told me that as a young jade carver, I was only allowed to buy Raw Material. If I saw a piece and understood what I wanted to carve from it, then I could purchase it. However, I was only permitted to buy Exposed jadeite rough; buying Test-cut jade was forbidden because it belonged to the category of "half-gambling material," which still held a degree of uncertainty. As for stones like this small piece with its skin shell, they were referred to as "full gambling material," leaving one completely unaware of whether what lay inside would be heaven or hell.
The so-called "Divine Beings Cannot Cut a Piece of Jade" refers to jade gambling stones. Just as I was thinking about my master's advice, the sound of grinding suddenly stopped. The onlookers turned their heads toward the machine, and then a heart-wrenching curse echoed through the air! Clearly, the cut had gone wrong. I muttered under my breath, "Isn't it better to buy a finished product for 7,000 yuan? Why bother cutting stones?"
Just as I was about to turn and leave, I heard someone nearby say, "If you cut a stone worth 70,000 yuan for 7,000, you wouldn't be saying that."
Who was it? I looked in the direction of the voice, and at that moment, a shadow approached and slapped me on the backside.
A familiar figure came into view. This person I knew well. If we were to talk about "Divine Beings Cannot Cut a Piece of Jade," then he was even more impressive than a deity—he could understand jade: Bird Uncle.
In fact, Bird Uncle is not an uncle; he is an older brother born in the '80s, just a few years older than us '90s jade carvers. However, he loves to act mature. When he opens his mouth, he often says things like, "I’m someone who experienced the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Cultural Revolution; back then, you were all just sperm."
I particularly like Bird Uncle because he is incredibly skilled. Although those born in the '80s are now approaching their forties, in the traditional artisan world of jade carving, he is still considered part of the younger generation. As a "junior," Bird Uncle gained fame at a young age and has collected all the major awards available to jade carvers in China—Tian Gong Award, Shengong Award, Baihua Award—all neatly tucked away in his collection. His works are both acclaimed and commercially successful.
Moreover, Bird Uncle made his fortune not by opening a carving factory but by engaging in jade gambling business. What does that mean? It means he has money.
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