A jade carving in the round is made by subtraction: the block is mounted on a lathe-like tool and ground against wheels of different profiles until the form emerges. Nothing about nephrite allows a chisel — it is too tough — so the whole process is abrasion, and fine detail takes hours.
This Pixiu is worked in relief on the face with the mane and the claws defined, and left smooth on the reverse where it sits against skin. The jade is natural nephrite, identified as such; whether the stone is worn as a pendant or kept as a small sculpture is a matter of taste.