Finding the Jade stone at the end of the Silk Road

Just a few more things about Beijing before we move on to Busan (or Pusan) Korea. Two of the days touring in Beijing took us to a jade factory and a silk factory.  Both stops were very interesting. At the jade factory we got to see them carving the jade stone and the finished results.

                    

          Here the jade is being carved by craftsmen using small circular saws (no eye or lung protection).

   

          Above is the finished products, a carved jade wall and a large ship also carved from solid jade.

                             

                  Cindy’s holding a silk worm cocoon                          and the silk after it is unraveled 

                Each cocoon is a single strand of silk that is about one kilometer (3168 feet) in length.

           

           Above the silk is then stretched layered and placed in a cotton cover to make a bed comforter.