In the Yangtze River Delta region of China, there is a small town with less than 43 square kilometers and fewer than 30,000 inhabitants.

But it accounts for 80 percent of the nation's pearl production and sales.

Shanxiahu in Zhuji, east China's Zhejiang Province, is also known as one of the largest pearl trading centers in the world. Amazing, isn't it?

How can such a small town have such a large stream of it?

Let's follow Xinhua reporter Andres Osorio to find out the mystery.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service