摘要
In China, the pearl has always beenconsidered a powerful agent to keep theravages of time at bay. It is said that EmpressWu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty (618-907)took pills made of pearl powder and appliedcream made of the same material to her faceas a way of keeping her beauty. When sheascended the throne at the age of 68, it issaid, she still looked young and beautiful.According to the Records of the Historianwritten by Sima Qian between 104 B.C. and91 B.C., Empress Wu was still full of
