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Pearl History
In ancient Egypt, mother-of-pearl was used for decorative purposes as far back as 4000 BC, although the use of actual pearls did not come until much later -- perhaps the 5th century BC. The ancient Romans valued pearls highly, especially as a symbol of wealth and prestige -- so much so that an effort was made to prohibit the wearing of pearls by those not deserving of them.
China was one of the earliest country in the world to discover and use pearls. At 22 B.C. the ancient record book, “The Shangshu Yu Tribute" recorded that about 4200 to 4500 years ago Xiayu dynasty, in tribute, high quality pearls were given as gifts to the legendary Chinese emperor.
Also, China was one of the world's earliest cultured pearl producing country. According to the Song Dynasty Pang Yuanying "Wenchang Medley" records, China originated the detailed methods to cultivate cultured pearls. The “Ministry of Rites vice minister Xie Gongyan declared that pearls are to be cultured by the following “bead law”:......Immerse the slightly big oysters, clams, mussels and the like, in clear water, gently force its aperture, put the bead in it, frequently change the clear water ......After two fall seasons, the bead becomes the pearl”. This record indicates that, China began to culture pearls 1500 years ago
Approximately 900 years ago during Southern Song Dynasty, the Huzhou Ye Jingyang, cultivated “the image of Buddha pearl”. This achievement brought the praises of overseas scholars.
About 250 years ago, Swedish naturalist, Carl von Linne, was one of the first overseas cultivators to discover a way to cultivate pearls.
During ancient times, the main pearl producing countries were China, Egypt, the Persian Empire, ancient Greece, and India. Even though there were so many pearl producing countries, natural pearl rate was low and therefore pearls were extremely scarce. Within the 19th century, China's cultured pearl spread to Japan during the end of the Qing dynasty. Within the 20th century, during the 1940's, the Japanese pearl industry started to develop. By 1966, the Japanese pearl breeding farms achieved a pearl output of over 104 tons. In 1969 the Japanese pearl output achieved 111.3 tons, to become a historical maximum annual output. Hereafter, as a result of the water pollution and other social factors, the pearl output dropped suddenly, with an annual output between 30-40 tons. On the contrary, from the 1970’s Chinese pearl output rises suddenly. By 1979, the world pearl output was more than 60 tons, of which Japan produced 35 tons, and China produced 25 tons.
By 1980, the world pearl output was more than 70 tons, in which Japan still produced 35 tons. However, the Chinese pearl production output rose to 38 tons, and for the first time surpassed Japan, to occupy leader world pearl production.
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