Zhejiang Shanxiahu Town Contracts Pearl Market

A small town that accounts for 80% of China's and over 70% of the world's pearl market. It all started when a merchant came to buy freshwater mussels. Locals got curious about why they were being purchased, figured out that pearls could be farmed inside them, and taught themselves the cultivation technique. Every household shared information and worked together on the ponds. They made good money, and the local government stepped up support. By 1988, nearly every family had built two- or three-story standalone villas, bought color TVs and motorcycles. By 2022, the town's annual output value hit 40 billion yuan.

Zhejiang's Super Pearl Town: Dominating the Global Pearl Trade