This is similar to jade; there's an old saying that if you nurture jade for three years, it will nurture you for a lifetime. Similarly, the better the pearl, the more its luster becomes understated the closer it's worn.
The Dongzhu pearl is now extinct; it was a freshwater pearl produced in the lower reaches of the Songhua River and its tributaries in Northeast China.
Although it has poor transparency, it is pure white, crystal clear and very rare. Pearls that are four years old can become round, and pearls that are eight years old will become rounder and rounder.
The longer it sits, the rounder and more lustrous it will become!
Therefore, it was regarded as a valuable item during the Qing Dynasty.
The Qing dynasty regulations stipulated that only the palace could use it, and even princes and ministers were not allowed to use it at will.
Furthermore, court beads made of Dongzhu (Eastern pearls) could only be worn by the emperor, empress dowager, and empress during grand ceremonies in the palace. Even princes and nobles were not entitled to use them.
The Qing law also clearly stipulated that pearls could not be obtained without imperial decree, and those who harvested them privately would be severely punished.
Due to environmental factors, the growth of pearls is extremely slow. Therefore, in areas where they have been harvested, it is necessary to stop harvesting for more than ten or even several decades before there is a harvest.
The overfishing during the Qing Dynasty directly led to the decline of the pearl harvesting industry.
Dongzhu, known as "Tana" in Manchu, was given a very high status during the Qing Dynasty because it originated from the birthplace of the Manchu people. Only the royal family could use it as a symbol of political status.
During the Qing Dynasty, both men and women considered it an honor to wear or have pearls inlaid on their bodies.
Emperor Qianlong even publicly stated: "Princes and nobles wear pearls as ornaments on their crowns, with the quantity indicating their rank and status, thus demonstrating their preciousness!"
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