OUR ROOTS · Shaoxing, CHINA
Shaoxing - The Venice of the East
Shaoxing is one of China's most celebrated cultural cities, a place where canals wind through centuries-old architecture, where silk and tea markets hum in the early morning, and where the art of pearl-keeping has been passed down through generations.
It is a city that doesn't rush. Beauty there is patient — accumulated slowly, worn quietly. That spirit lives in every piece of Pretty U&Me jewelry.
CULTURE & STORYTELLING
Xi Shi and the poetry of pearls.
Xi Shi, one of China’s legendary Four Great Beauties, was born in Zhuji within Shaoxing region. In the region, pearls are sometimes affectionately called “Xi Shi’s tears.”
西施泪 · “Xi Shi’s tears”
Legend says her tears, falling into the river as she was taken from her home, became the lustrous pearls that now line the region's waterways. It is a legend about sacrifice, about the beauty that emerges from sorrow, and about the enduring grace of a woman who carries herself with dignity even in the hardest moments.
A PERSONAL CONNECTION
Pearls were part of everyday life.
I grew up in Shaoxing surrounded by pearls. Seeing their many shapes and styles helped me appreciate just how much character a pearl can have.
"Women wore pearls to the market, to the temple, to the table. They were quiet symbols of grace — not declarations of wealth."
Today, it inspires the way I approach Pretty U&Me: modern pearl jewelry that feels personal, approachable, and easy to wear.