Meet the history of pearls in China

China has been known as the 'Land of Pearls' since ancient times. Dating back over 4,000 years to the Xia Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Yu, pearls were considered exclusive treasures for the emperor. In the ancient times, the two legendary treasures, 'Sui Hou's Pearl' and 'He Shi Bi,' one of which was a pearl, were highly esteemed and widely known, as recorded in the 'Lv's Spring and Autumn Annals.' The phrase 'Sui Pearl shooting sparrows' in this context reflects using something precious for trivial purposes, highlighting the widespread fame of Sui Hou's Pearl in ancient times.

In Zhuji, renowned for its freshwater pearls, there's a legend that says, 'Tasting mother's bath in the stream, a bright pearl shot into the body, leading to pregnancy.' This legend traces back to Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, whose legendary origins are associated with pearls, inspiring boundless imagination for generations.

Chinese culture is richly infused with pearl-related idioms such as 'interconnected pearls and jades,' 'surrounded by emerald and pearls,' 'words as precious as pearls,' 'round pearls and lustrous jades,' 'rice pearls and fragrant laurels,' 'pearl gates and gem palaces,' 'bright pearls hidden in the dark,' and 'pearls left in the vast sea,' showcasing the deep integration of pearl culture into Chinese civilization.

Pearls have been used in China since ancient times, not only as ornaments and trade items but also for their medicinal properties. Pearl trade likely dates back to the same period as silk trade. In the 1st century AD, Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder documented that the Roman Empire annually paid 100 million silver coins to China, India, and Arabian countries solely for pearls.

During the Warring States period, pearl collection flourished in Hepu, as seen in the tribute presented to Emperor Qin Shihuang by the general Yutu Sui after conquering Nanyue.

By the Western Han Dynasty, Hepu was renowned for its pearl production, exporting pearls alongside silk to the Western world. Pearl collection became a taxed industry during the Tang Dynasty.

In the Song Dynasty, both the court and the populace widely used pearls for jewelry. There were pearl collection sites in Rongzhou (now Rongxian in Guangxi) and Haimen Town, expanding pearl collection to Fujian. Emperor Taizu issued a decree in 962 to establish Meichuan County in Hepu, introducing scheduled pearl tribute to the imperial court. Commercial pearl trade thrived, with records from the Southern Song's 'Stories of the Wulin' indicating shops in Hangzhou trading pearls for tens of thousands.

In the Yuan Dynasty, there was a specialized office under the Jin-Yu Bureau known as the 'Supervisory Office for Pearl Collectors,' managing the collection of natural pearls. The trend of using pearls, prevalent since the Song Dynasty, continued among Mongol women, with coral and pearls being the favored organic gemstones. Royal consorts adorned themselves with 'Gu Gu crowns' primarily decorated with pearls.

The Ming Dynasty witnessed the peak of pearl collection in Chinese history. The extensive use of pearls during this period is evident in the unearthed treasures from the Ming Dynasty's mausoleum, such as the dragon and phoenix crowns of Emperor Wanli and his consorts. Just one of these crowns required embedding 3,500 to 5,000 pearls, showcasing the substantial quantity of pearls used for other decorations.

Throughout history, emperors' ceremonial attire for grand rituals included a 'Mian' adorned with 12 strands of pearls, referred to as 'Mianliu.' Empresses and royal consorts wore pearls when paying homage at the ancestral temple.

This historical account exemplifies the profound influence and significance of pearls in Chinese culture and trade from ancient times to the Ming Dynasty.