A Set of East Pearl Court Beads
In the Qing Dynasty, only the emperor, empress dowager, and empress could wear court beads made of East Pearls when attending important ceremonies, as both accessories and a symbol of dignity.
The uniqueness of such court beads lies in their primary materials — East Pearls. They are freshwater pearls from rivers in northeast China, the homeland of Qing rulers. As a symbol of the birthplace of the Qing royal family, the collection and use of such pearls were under strict supervision.
This set of court beads consists of 108 East Pearls, evenly separated into four sections by blue kyanite beads and orange coral beads, symbolizing the four seasons. The three short strings of beads, known as jinian, each featuring 10 pearls, symbolizing the three 10-day periods of a month. The pendant connected by a long belt with the beads is called "beiyun" (literally "back cloud") and placed behind the neck to prevent dislocation.
The design of court beads conveys ancient Chinese understanding of seasons, time, and nature. The dignified status of East Pearls bespeaks Chinese veneration for their ancestral roots.
东珠朝珠
在清代，东珠朝珠只有皇帝、皇太后和皇后在参加盛大典礼时才能佩戴，既是装饰，又能彰显身份。
东珠朝珠的特殊性体现在其主要材料东珠上。所谓东珠，是生长于清代统治者家乡，即中国东北地区河流中的淡水珍珠。东珠成为清代统治者家族发源地的象征，采集和使用都受到极其严格的监管。
这盘东珠朝珠主体部分由108颗东珠串成，这些珍珠被蓝色的蓝晶石珠和橘红色的珊瑚珠隔成4等份，象征一年的四季。朝珠上的3串珠串称为“记念”，每串记念由10颗小珠子串成，象征一个月的上、中、下三旬，每旬10天。朝珠上由长带子串联的垂坠为背云，朝珠佩戴时背云垂在颈后，可以避免朝珠移转错位。
朝珠的设计饱含人们对节气、时间及自然的理解。东珠朝珠地位尊贵，更突显出中国人对祖先和家乡的尊崇。
