China Pearl & Jewelry International City is the world's largest pearl distribution center, boasting nearly 1,500 settled merchants. The City is situated in Shanxiahu Town, in the northeastern part of Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province, and the town is renowned as a global pearl city.
Over the past five decades, Shanxiahu Town has evolved into one of the world's major hubs for freshwater pearls, contributing 75% of the annual global output and 80% of China's production. The town has earned the prestigious title of "Town of Pearl" from China's Development Research Center of the State Council.
In recent years, the number of key players in the pearl market has surged from less than a thousand to over 9,000, and the production and sales volume has soared from under 10 billion yuan (approximately 139.8 million U.S. dollars) to surpass 40 billion yuan. The pearl industry is experiencing rapid growth in scale and consolidation. In 2022, the output value of the pearl industry surpassed 40 billion yuan, with offline market turnover exceeding 15 billion yuan and online turnover surpassing 25 billion yuan.
Today, with the completion of the World Freshwater Pearl Museum, the pearl cultural block, the pearl creative workshop, and other projects, the core area of Shanxiahu Town has become a prominent landmark in Zhuji.
Produced by YAN Yiqin and Translated by Chen Shimeng
