Golden flowing sand pearls

Golden flowing sand pearls

Golden flowing sand pearls are a protected geographical indication product.

　　Leizhou is famous for its “southern pearls,” which are crystal clear and shimmer with luster.

　　　　In Liusha, Leizhou—known as China’s “No. 1 Pearl Village”—the noble veil of pearls has been lifted. Southern pearls are cultivated, processed, and sold through streamlined procedures. Each year, this area processes 90% of the country’s Pinctada martensii pearls, exporting them to over 50 countries and regions. It serves as a barometer of the global pearl market. From here, pearls have stepped out of the circles of emperors and nobility and entered ordinary households.

　　 Zhanjiang City is surrounded by sea on three sides, with a coastline of 1,556 kilometers and tidal flat areas covering 9,908 hectares. Most of its bays have moderate salinity, minimal wave activity, and abundant bait organisms, making them suitable for pearl farming. The main regions for pearl cultivation are Leizhou and the two counties (cities) of Xuwen and Suixi on the Leizhou Peninsula. Among sea pearls, those known as “southern pearls” are the highest in quality and grade. The Leizhou Peninsula is the primary production area for southern pearls. As early as the Qin Dynasty, pearl divers were harvesting pearls. By the Later Han Dynasty, pearl production was already thriving. Emperors throughout the dynasties dispatched imperial supervisors to oversee pearl harvesting grounds and ensure tribute pearls were sent to the royal court. After the liberation, the Party and government placed great emphasis on the development and utilization of southern pearls. In November 1957, Premier Zhou Enlai instructed: “We must boost southern pearl production by shifting from the backward, thousand-year-old method of natural pearl diving to artificial cultivation.” Inspired by Premier Zhou’s directive, experiments in cultivating southern pearls began around Zhanjiang in 1958. Zhanjiang Fisheries College (the predecessor of Guangdong Ocean University) made major breakthroughs in research on culturing sea pearls, significantly advancing the development of the marine pearl farming industry. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, Zhanjiang’s pearl farming industry flourished. To date, numerous towns across the city are engaged in the cultivation of sea pearls.