The Legend of the Jade Mountain
Deep in the Altai mountains lies a sacred peak called the Jade Mountain (or Mountain of the Green Stone). According to Altai legend, the mountain was once a giant jade serpent that protected the Altai people from invaders. When enemies massed at the foot of the mountains, the serpent raised itself and turned to stone, creating an impassable barrier of green jade. The spirit of the serpent still lives within the mountain, and the jade stones found in Altai rivers are fragments of its scales. Altai shamans use jade in their rituals, believing it connects them to the earth's power. The legend emp