LookAtVietnam – The biggest jade block in the world arrived in Vietnam on the 999th anniversary of Hanoi. Its new owner Dao Trong Cuong describes the journey.

Dao Trong Cuong (first from the right) and the giant jade block.

According to Cuong, Myanmar usually organises two jade auctions a year which attract thousands of buyers from across the world. In an auction of jade in mid-2006, Cuong saw the giant jade block for the first time. However, the jade was bought by a Chinese businessman at $1.5 million and Cuong thought he would never see it again

Returning to Vietnam, Cuong couldn’t forget the huge block. He started trying to search for it on the Internet but could find no trace.

Cuong describes the huge jade block as “very rare and beautiful”. Incredibly it has no cracks.

He said he knew that being able to buy the block and bring it to Vietnam would be a “wonderful and spiritual thing”.

Later, during a trip to China to buy jade sculpting equipment, he was delighted to find out that a fellow sculptor he met was the same person who had bought the giant jade. Cuong was even happier to find that the man wanted to sell it.

Returning to Vietnam, Cuong sold his villa in Hanoi and borrowed money from the banks to buy the jade at $1.45 million. Cheaper than the auction price in Myanmar but still a huge commitment.

“That’s the risk of a jade collector. Sometimes they buy and lose a lot of money,” Cuong explained.

After purchasing the jade, Cuong paid further taxes worth 3 billion dong and brought it to Vietnam on the 999^th anniversary of Hanoi and the 55^th Liberation Day of the capital city.

Cuong now plans to make this huge block into the world’s largest jade Buddha statue. The statue will be 15 tonnes in weight. It is expected to take between two and three years, costing a further US$800,000.

VietNamNet/Tien Phong