Zhang 1

Chen Zhang

Greg McClure

Writing 39C

05/07/18

Ivory Trade In China

Introduction

The number of elephants in Africa has fallen sharply because of an unstoppable poaching effort.

The illegitimate poaching of business trade has recently exploded, changing into the most threat

to a number of the world's most vulnerable and most engaging species. Yufang Gao, the scholar

who holds a B.S. in Biology from Peking University in China and an M.S. in Environmental

Sciences from Yale University in America, claims that “based on the information and careful

assessment of African elephants’ killing rate, we know that the illegitimate gains in ivory trade

have spiked and coincidence with the inflation for illegitimate ivory and smuggled ivory” (23).

However, some international media and believe that Chinese strong ivory market causes the

situation today. There is no denying the fact that the ancient Chinese culture and the Chinese

passion for collectibles promote the ivory trade. Based on the huge demand from the Chinese

market, there are a lot of reasons that Chinese consumers have great enthusiasm and expectation

in ivory products, including traditional Chinese culture, connoisseurship value and collective

value of ivory. In this research paper, I will focus on the motivations of Chinese consumers and

the powerful chain of ivory trade behind them, including legal retail stores, illegal retail stores

and the gray market, reviewing the Chinese historical background information of ivory and

current ivory market in China.

Threats To Elephants
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Elephants are basically poached for their ivory. The CITES administrative framework was

subject to widespread mishandle and African elephant populaces fell from more than 1.2 million

to generally 600,000 by 1989. Amid the 1980s, a decade alluded to as the “Ivory Wars”, at

slightest 700,000 elephants were butchered all through Africa as lawful exchange empowered

large-scale washing of ivory from poached elephants. In the past decades, the number of

elephants in Africa has been shrinking all the time. In Africa, this seems to happen every day that

tens of thousands of elephants have been killed illegally. Wittemyer, the professor of the

department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology in Colorado State University, argues that

“the illegal murder levels was peaking at touching 8% in 2011 for savannah elephants as

extrapolates in accordance with 40,000 elephants illegally defeated yet a possible species

reduction regarding 3% so much year” (2014). These records shows that, If this trend continues,

the extinction of the elephant population is foreseeable. That's what we don't want to see.
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Figure 1. Zambia, Lower Zambezi National Park. A dead elephant (Loxodonta africana), killed

by ivory poachers, lies with its face and tusks hacked out.

History Of Ivory In China

China is one of the world’s center points for the illicit natural life exchange, with ivory being an

exceedingly esteemed product among the Chinese culture. The employment of these ivory items

is related to Chinese culture, and exists a long esteemed convention of ivory carving established

within the Distant East. In ancient Chinese social life, ivory is used for carving. Those ivory

jewelries are kinds of animal raw material for pictures and are highly praised by the upper class

society. Jan Van Campen, who has worked as Curator of Asian Export Art in the Rijksmuseum

since 2001, states that “The Chinese traditionally loved small, beautiful objects that needed no

obvious function but were delightful to look at” (153). As a luxury, it is not only a means to

show off wealth, but also a symbol of identity rights. As a traditional art, ivory carving originates

from in Ming and Qing dynasties. The ancient Chinese had a persistent spirit for longevity. In

this case, the quality of immortal carves can show their best wishes for a long life. Ivory is the

strongest part of an elephant. Its brilliance is as clean as jade, durable, precious. It is why ivory

has the reputation of organic gems. The ivory-carved artworks are one of the unique varieties in

antiques because they are solid, dense, smooth and glossy in texture, and exquisitely carved. Due

to the influence of Buddhism in ancient China, ivory has appeared in the Buddhist texts many

times, and also has a high and sacred status in Buddhism ( Sophia I. R. Kappus 15). Therefore,

ivory has always been a symbol of the protection of evil spirits and the house of calming the

nerves. Reflected in the tooth sculpture art, Buddhism as the theme of the tooth sculpture works

of art, nature also became a sacred evil mascot, making ivory a very precious special crafting
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material. The sculpted or finished products give people a sense of dignity, maturity, pride, and

aura. Ivory carving is even more impressive.

Figure 2. A European Tribute Bearer,

1725-75. Ivory, h. 15.8 cm. Amsterdam,

Rijks museum, AK-RAK-2006

Figure 3. Panel with three

Dutch Merchants in a Sloop,
1700-50. Ivory, 1.16 cm.
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum,
NG-1994-12.

Ivory Market In China

China is one of the centers of illegal wildlife trade in the world, and ivory is a very important

commodity for Chinese people. In recent decades, ivory products have been widely publicized as

an investment mode. This stimulates further market demand, which is consistent with the

development of Chinese art investment. As a result, China has taken note of the widening of the
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illicit market, and according to its requirements, the need for formal detailed ivory manufacturers

or licensed dealers is limited by matching conditions (Y. Yu et al. 597).

White Market

According to the convention on the protection of intangible cultural heritage, since 2006,

traditional Beijing and Guangzhou ivory carvings have been listed as part of the country's

intangible cultural heritage by China's ministry of culture. (Gao & Clark 2014). In 2008,

endorsement by CITES, Chinese merchants imported 62 tons of legal ivory products from

southern African. In arrange to control and oversee the household authentic showcase, SFA

(China’s State Ranger service Organization) built up an ivory enrollment and certification

framework. Undoubtedly, compelling management requires that every ivory product have a

recognizable certificate, including its photographs, product weight, roots and subtle elements of

the company's name. All ivory products are required to concurring to keep put away counting its

exceptionally claim distinguishing proof going by card (China’s State Ranger service

Organization 2013). Supporters of the legal ivory trade argue that using the legal ivory market

could reduce the price of ivory and deter illegal trade, thereby reducing poaching. But the

opposite is true: an increase in ivory stockpiles has failed to reduce the price of ivory and curb

illegal trade. High ivory prices and expectations of higher future prices will make ivory an

investment vehicle that will need more value. The more endangered the elephant, the higher the

price of ivory, the greater the value of ivory as an investment. Therefore, as the price increase

leads to more poaching, the decrease in elephant population leads to the increase in the price of

ivory and the increase in demand, which leads to the increase of the fiscal stimulus of poaching.

The “black market” then “white market” in modern times appear side-by-side, which

complicates want rule or increases enactment costs (Hua. Wang et al. 3).
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Black Market

There are two forms exists in the black market. The first one is the unauthorized outlet. These

outlet factories were found in big cities China, such as Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou. These

stores are oft of vintage or curio, jewelry or accessory, then gift markets. Most ivory gadgets are

small, industrially produced merchandise All on the venders have been conscious up to

expectation it is illegal in accordance with sell ivory besides governance permits. Most people

believe that companies used to be unstable because the authorities have recently tightened

controls. The second form is the online marketplace. A thriving ivory trading platform of the

Baidu Post Bar (Baidu Tieba) is the biggest online verbal exchange board split by way of the

Chinese search engine. Most posts have been advertisements on raw or labored ivory. Processed

ivory products are mainly large jewellery, such as pendants, rings, bracelets and jewelry. Dealers

posted ivory photographs and statistics touching the bulk and price, then they requested potential

buyers in conformity with contacting them thru WeChat. Payment was once commonly

processed by way of Zhifubao (a famous Chink online payment platform), or ivory used to be

despatched in conformity with customers via specific delivery.

Figure 4. In the IFAW survey, the

illegal ivory trade (red) is nearly
six times higher than the legal
trade (blue).
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Conclusion

The number of African elephant poaching has increased to a certain extent, threatening the

specie's long-term viability. Taking among score currently available evidence, the current

domestic ivory need among China is an important propeller on poaching and trafficking. This is

unavoidable. If the cost on ivory in China is nevertheless excessive yet fine measures are now

not instituted into time, poaching choice continue yet damage the hobbies over wild elephants.

Any solution requires concerted employment or assistance beyond every the countries

concerned. For example, within China, via high quality multi-institutional cooperation and

supervision, policy loopholes are addressed yet ivory career rule above every markets, consisting

of white, fuscous or gray, is strengthened. Moreover, perhaps the more essential issue is what to

bear along the increasing call for investment of arts. The efforts on non-governmental businesses

yet authorities bear substantially multiplied people cognizance regarding problems. These efforts

continue, however they need to stay more focused, based totally about practical context and

appreciation on buyers or theirs motivations. It is necessary after suffice past the environmental

safety branch and involve the present day non-participants can also move an essential role within

that issue, for example, the artwork funding community and cultural safety groups. In general,

that is at all crucial to adjust the cutting-edge communal and decision-making method according

to better idolize the usual objective regarding African bishop services. Finally, the African

elephant is part of our common global heritage, and we are often interested in the continuation of

their health.
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Work Cited

Gao, Yufang, and Susan G. Clark. “Elephant Ivory Trade in China: Trends and Drivers.”

Biological Conservation, vol. 180, 2014, pp. 23–30., doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2014.09.020.

Wittemyer, George, et al. “Illegal Killing for Ivory Drives Global Decline in African Elephants.”

PNAS, National Academy of Sciences, 9 Sept. 2014,

www.pnas.org/content/111/36/13117/tab-figures-data.

Stiles, Daniel. "The Ivory Trade and Elephant Conservation." Environmental Conservation, vol.

31, no. 4, 2004, pp. 309-321. ProQuest,

https://search.proquest.com/docview/21408872?accountid=14509.

Williams, Jonah M. “The Convoluted Nature of the African Ivory Trade: Possible Solutions for

Curbing the Destructive Nature of Poaching and Promoting Elephant Conservation.”

Consilience, no. 15, 2016, pp. 181–192. JSTOR, JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/26188764.

Kappus, Sophia Inge Rixa. China's Ivory - An Approach to the Conflict Between Tradition and

Ethical Responsibility. 2018.

VAN CAMPEN, JAN. “Masters of the Knife: Chinese Carving in Wood, Ivory and

Soapstone.” The Rijksmuseum Bulletin, vol. 59, no. 2, 2011, pp. 152–173. JSTOR,

JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23074495.

Gabriel, Grace, et al. “Making a Killing - A 2011 Survey of Ivory Markets in China.” IFAW -

International Fund for Animal Welfare, 2011, www.ifaw.org/international/resource-

centre/making-killing.