中国自新石器时代起就形成了自己的玉石文化及其传统，其后的数千年及今，玉石文化绵延不绝，成为中国文化重要的内容和特征之一。本研究将整个中国玉石文化的历史传统分为远古传统、古典传统和现代传统，并运用社会学、文化学以及艺术学的研究方法，对玉石文化诸传统的演变、承续进行了分析和探究。论文围绕玉石文化传统的永恒性（神性）、价值性、社会文化身份与权力形式展开讨论，提出远古传统以神人结体与宗法结构为基础，而古典传统则以权力意志与比德理念作为特质，所谓现代传统则是大众消费与时尚意象的产物。本文运用多重证据法，论述了远古传统从“神人结体”到“宗法玉制”转变的路径。通过图像学的分析，结合实物及史前神话传说等各类文本资料，推论出“神徽”是无文字时代的先民采用原初艺术表现方式所作的历史记录，而且“神徽”的主题纹饰具有由神灵崇拜向祖宗崇拜过渡的性质。基于对《周礼》的分析，应用分形理论，提出“宗法玉制”是中国传统社会以及现当代玉石文化形成惟“宗”传统的重要原因之一。通过对传统社会玉石文化权势话语的分析，揭示了作为赠与或保存的玉石物品在相对稳定的等级社会中，对于人们巩固社会地位、维系社会关系、增强话语权力有重要的作用。同时，提出了“玺印为权”、“冠服以仪”的玉石物品是权势阶层权力意志合法化的符号。传统社会的“比德理念”是对西周“惟德是辅”的继承。作为教化人性的“比德”不仅针对传统意义上的“君子”而谈，即“君子”的概念因科层制的出现和“三纲五常”的儒化扩展到士绅官僚、文人雅士等更广的社会群体范围，而不同历史时期价值观念的转变亦使玉石文化传统中“比德符号”的意义发生衍变。基于对近现代社会文化变迁的讨论，指出现代传统中玉石制品已逐渐成为一种普遍的时尚消费品，它是经济资本和文化资本甚至社会资本结合的商品。通过对当代玉石文化现况的田野考察与分析，提出大众消费消解了传统玉石文化的神圣性、经典性、少数阶层的占有性，弱化了传统玉石符号的尊贵属性，但在新的社会情境中，玉石文化的神性得到延伸、经典性也得到重新诠释。

Since the Neolithic Age, China has enjoyed the special jades culture and tradition. The dissertation analyzes the substance and characteristics of Chinese culture from the Neolithic Age to contemporary era. The dissertation focuses on property of eternal divinity, value, status and power forms of social culture. Applying the methods on sociology, science of culture and art researches, the dissertation divides tradition of Chinese jades culture into three types. It is one type of ancient tradition that the union of divinity and human becomes a patriarchal structure. In the traditional society, the second type of classical tradition mirrors the power and will in ruling class, and reflects Bi-de idea in different social group. In the modern times, as the third type, it is the vital characteristics of popular consumption and fashion imagery.On the basis of documentary evidences, material objects, fairy tales,and folk customs, the dissertation deduces two possible conclusions. One is the transition from ancient union of divinity and human to a patriarchal and structural form, in essence, the theme of image reflects their faith from adoring gods to forefathers. The other is the divinity emblem expressing the historical record with artistic forms in prelogical thought. By employing the theory of fractals and analyzing Zhouli, the dissertation shows clearly a major reason and the significant influence that a patriarchal and structural form represents the cultural tradition of upholding “Zong” idea.Discussing the discourse power of jades culture in the Chinese traditional society, the dissertation indicates that to gift and keep the jades plays important roles in consolidating the social position, maintaining the social relationship, and strengthening the discourse power. Moreover, the dissertation puts forward three main opinions. Firstly, “the imperial jade seal for power” and “the jades adornments on costume for rite” are proved to be the rightful symbols. Secondly, Bi-de idea is the inheritance of old moral concepts tradition in the Western Zhou Period. Thirdly, the meaning of Bi-de symbols has developed and changed, also so-called “Jun-zi” expands to more extensive social group, such as bureaucrat, gentry, and refined scholar following the imperial examination system.In view of illustration on social and cultural changes in modern times, the dissertation concludes that jades not only have become the popular consumption goods, but also being the commodity signifying the economic, cultural and social capital. Through the investigations and analysis, the dissertation raises that popular consumption dissolves and removes the meaning of traditional divinity and classical property, but the new extensions and annotations on them have arisen.