Russian student's experience at the birthplace of pearls

Nestled in the watery landscapes of Jiangnan, Deqing in Zhejiang Province boasts a labyrinth of rivers and lakes, carrying a pearl culture forged over nearly a millennium. As early as the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279), Ye Jinyang, an innovator from Huzhou Prefecture, successfully cultivated blister pearls (Buddha-shaped pearls) at Xiaoshan Yang, marking humanity’s first leap from relying on natural pearls to mastering artificial cultivation. This breakthrough established China as the world’s earliest pioneer in pearl farming, earning Deqing the title of "the birthplace of global pearls."

Today, the Xiaoshan Yang Freshwater Pearl Ecological Breeding Base remains the core conservation area of the "Zhejiang Deqing Traditional Freshwater Pearl Cultivation and Utilization System," preserving centuries-old aquaculture traditions. Under azure skies, vast stretches of water shimmer with rows of white spherical buoys aligned like precise grids. From above, the interconnected buoys resemble strands of "pearl necklaces" adorning the lake’s surface.

Recently, Mariia Vialykh, a Russian international student at Zhejiang University of Technology, embarked on a pearl-unboxing adventure at Xiaoshan Yang. Guided by Master Gao, a seasoned pearl farmer, she rowed through the waters to harvest mussels and pried them open in a blind box-style quest for hidden gems, uncovering the secrets of pearl cultivation.

(视频素材由浙江分社湖州分社提供)