Tourmaline (碧璽): Meaning, Chinese Name & How to Wear It
碧璽 · The rainbow gemstone — a folklore symbol of vitality and good rapport with people
🇹🇼 Tourmaline in Chinese
- Traditional
- 碧璽
- Simplified
- 碧玺
- Pinyin
- bì xǐ
- Literally
- “jade-green seal”
One of the few crystal names that is not descriptive: 璽 is the character for an imperial seal, and the name dates to the Qing dynasty court, where tourmaline was a favoured stone. It is pure phonetic-and-prestige naming, which is why the literal reading tells you nothing about the colour.
See all 22 → Crystal names in Chinese
✨ Meaning & symbolism
Tourmaline is famous for its range of colour — red, green, blue, black, and the two-tone “watermelon” variety. In folklore the coloured tourmalines symbolise vitality, warm rapport with people and a bright mood, while black tourmaline sits alongside obsidian on the protection side of the tradition. As a genuine gem-grade mineral, tourmaline also carries real jewellery value.
📖 Origin & cultural background
The main sources are Brazil, Afghanistan and Mozambique. The Qing dynasty court prized tourmaline — Empress Dowager Cixi was even buried with a tourmaline lotus. Its habit of generating a static charge when rubbed is where its Chinese name, “electric stone,” comes from.
🤲 Which hand do you wear Tourmaline on?
Folklore has coloured tourmaline on the left hand for good rapport with people, and black tourmaline on the right for protection. There's no hard rule.
🧼 Cleansing & care
Hardness 7–7.5, but brittle — protect it from knocks. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners; a soft cloth is best.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What are the benefits of tourmaline?
In folklore, coloured tourmaline symbolises vitality and rapport with people, while black tourmaline stands for protection. Neither crystals nor gemstones have any scientifically proven effects; tourmaline's true value is its gem-grade beauty of colour.
Why do tourmaline prices vary so much?
Colour saturation, clarity and origin all set the price: Paraíba blue can reach astronomical figures, while a commercial-grade bracelet stays very affordable. We label the grade clearly, and you can compare pieces live on stream.
Which hand should I wear tourmaline on?
The folk saying is coloured tourmaline on the left, black on the right — but wear it wherever feels comfortable.
⚠️ Crystals are natural mineral jewellery. This page shares folklore and stone knowledge; crystals have no scientifically or medically proven effects and are not a substitute for medical care. What we value is their meaning, companionship and sense of ritual.