Andrew Shaw

Author

Books

A Jade Treasury

Jade is the most romantic and blood-drenched stone on earth. To ancient peoples all over the world it was sacred. In China, Confucius raved about it, wars were fought over it and fifteen cities were once offered in exchange for a piece of it. The Aztecs of Central America treasured it more than gold. The Maori in New Zealand loved it so much...

Jade Life

An Englishman's love affair with China's national treasure.

Andrew’s book, Jade Life, was featured in both the Guardian and the South China Morning Post. It received excellent reviews. The East Asia Book Review wrote: Jade Life is a great read – a big-hearted, highly accessible, informative, and likeable account. It will appeal to any reader interested in China, regardless of one’s interest in jade. The...

Spoil

The West looted millions of priceless relics from China during the colonial era. It’s time to give them back. This book tells the story of when they were stolen, who stole them and where they are now. It also offers a way to give China back its treasures which should be acceptable to everyone. Available as a paperback, eBook and audiobook. Click...

Andrew Shaw

Andrew Shaw worked as a reporter for the BBC General News Service before moving to China to learn the art of jade carving in 2008. He is now a gold medal-winning master carver. He lives with his wife in the city of Wuhan. Andrew writes best selling fiction and non fiction. He has just published the first of a critically acclaimed fantasy trilogy based on ancient Chinese mythology.

Jade Fiend

Blog

July 11, 2026

Lord Yama's Fantasy Book Review - latest episode

An epic fantasy even older than The Odyssey

This summer sees the release of the blockbuster film, The Odyssey, based on a Greek epic written nearly three thousand years ago. The movie has already received rave reviews, and its all-star cast will almost certainly ensure it's the cinematic event of the summer. It seems destined to win a few Oscars when the time comes. But the Odyssey is not the oldest fantasy epic ever written. That honour goes to a Sumerian epic known as Gilgamesh, which...