Hey there, future explorers! 🌊🦪
Did you know that pearls don’t just come from oysters in the ocean? In the Chinese mainland’s Deqing County, people have been farming freshwater pearls for over 800 years! 🗺️✨
Just recently, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations gave a big shout-out to Deqing’s amazing pearl farming system. They’ve added it to their list of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) for 2025! 🏆🌍
What’s So Special About Deqing’s Pearls?
In Deqing, pearl farmers have a clever way of working with nature. They grow pearls by raising mussels and fish together in the same ponds. 🐟🦪 But how does that work?
It’s called mutualism, which means both the fish and mussels help each other out! The fish keep the water clean and stir up nutrients, while the mussels filter the water and provide a cozy home. It’s like they’re best buddies! 🤝❤️
An Ancient Tradition 🌳
People in Deqing started farming pearls way back in the Southern Song Dynasty, about 800 years ago. That’s older than some castles and pyramids! 🏰⏳
Mr. Zhang Guoyong is one of the local pearl farmers. He’s been growing pearls for over 40 years on his big farm that’s as large as 2,000 football fields! 🏟️🌞
Pearls for More Than Just Jewelry 💎
While pearls make beautiful necklaces and bracelets, Deqing is taking them to the next level! They’re using pearls in beauty products, healthcare, and even tourism. Imagine visiting a pearl farm and seeing how these shiny gems are made! 🌟✨
This new way of using pearls helps the community by creating jobs for nearly 20,000 people and bringing in lots of money to help everyone live better lives. 💰🏡
Global Recognition 🌐
The FAO experts visited Deqing and were super impressed! They said that Deqing’s pearl farming is a fantastic example of how traditional wisdom can work with modern ideas to protect our planet. 🌳🌟
Min Qingwen, an expert on agricultural heritage, said that this is just the beginning. Deqing will keep exploring new ways to share their pearl culture with the world! 🚀🌍
Why Is This Important?
Learning about Deqing’s pearl farming teaches us how humans can work together with nature to create something beautiful and sustainable. Maybe one day, you’ll visit Deqing and see the sparkling pearls yourself! 😉🦪✨
Isn’t it amazing what we can achieve when we team up with nature? 🌎❤️
Reference(s):
Pearls of wisdom: Deqing's aquaculture legacy gains global recognition
cgtn.com
