Renowned for its rich agro-biodiversity and traditional knowledge, the system protects native species and sustains a diversity of farming practices. It also preserves vibrant cultural traditions, such as the Pearl Festival, and adapts through flexible social structures. This harmony between ecosystems, culture, and livelihoods offers valuable insights for global efforts in sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and heritage protection. 

Food and Livelihood Security 
The Deqing system secures livelihoods through a diversified production model that includes pearl cultivation, aquaculture, crop farming, livestock rearing, and cultural tourism. This diversity enhances food availability, stabilizes income, and supports flexible employment, particularly for rural households. 

By integrating aquaculture, agriculture, and heritage-based tourism, the system generates a wide range of nutritious and high-value products. Its multifunctional structure not only meets local economic and dietary needs but also supports the long-term resilience of smallholder farmers, making it a robust model for sustainable rural development. 

Agrobiodiversity 
The system is a vital refuge for aquatic biodiversity, supporting more than 140 mussel species, including Hyriopsis cumingii and other pearl-producing varieties such as Cristaria plicata, Anodonta woodiana, Lamprotula caveata, Solenaia oleivora, and Sinohyriopsis cumingii. It also sustains over 40 freshwater fish species, including China’s “Four Major Domestic Fishes,” as well as diverse communities of plankton, benthic organisms, and aquatic plants—making it one of East Asia’s key freshwater biodiversity hubs. 

Deqing exemplifies circular, sustainable agriculture, where fish-mussel co-cultivation and land-water integration ensure efficient resource use. Its agrobiodiversity includes over 90 crop species and hundreds of traditional varieties. Combined with Deqing’s favorable topography and subtropical climate, the system supports a dynamic mix of cultivated and wild species, including over 600 ancient trees, reinforcing ecosystem health and genetic diversity. 

Local and Traditional Knowledge Systems 
The system preserves a wealth of traditional practices in pearl and fish farming, including mussel breeding, pearl grafting, fish rearing techniques like Yuduan fencing, and the use of tools such as floating frames and mesh cages. Feeding practices blend natural foraging with locally sourced supplements like soybean milk and silkworm waste. Water quality is monitored through a combination of traditional observation and modern sensor technology. 

The entire system operates within a circular model that connects aquatic and terrestrial components. Nutrient-rich pond mud is used to fertilize crops and forests, while farm by-products support aquaculture. These practices are finely adapted to the region’s unique terrain, with models such as fish-mussel co-culture and rice-fish rotation creating a self-sustaining production cycle that enhances ecological balance and supports rural livelihoods.  

Cultures, Value Systems, and Social Organizations 
The system has fostered a rich cultural identity rooted in pearl cultivation and fishery traditions. These practices are deeply embedded in local social values, spiritual beliefs, and family customs, contributing to the system’s stability and continuity. At the heart of this cultural landscape is the Pearl Festival, held annually at Xiaoshan Temple to honor Ye Jinyang, the inventor of shelled pearl cultivation. The festival brings together ritual, performance, and community participation, reflecting the enduring significance of pearls in local life. 

Pearls have long held symbolic and material value in Chinese culture, associated with beauty, purity, and status. Their influence is reflected in idioms, art, cuisine, and historical records. Since the introduction of the household contract responsibility system in the 1980s, the organizational structure of pearl and fish farming in Deqing has diversified. Today, smallholder farms, cooperatives, and enterprise-run production bases coexist, allowing traditional practices to evolve within modern frameworks while preserving the region’s cultural legacy. 

Landscape featuresThe Deqing system is characterized by a mosaic landscape composed of yang (natural pools), artificial ponds, arable lands, forested areas, and villages. The yang are deep, irregular natural water bodies used primarily for fish-mussel co-cultivation, while ponds are shallower and designed for fish farming. Together, these water systems form an interconnected network that supports both aquaculture and agriculture. This spatial configuration reflects local ecological adaptation and cultural aesthetics, contributing to the system’s environmental balance and long-term resilience. 

Surrounding elements such as villages, fields, and forests each play a functional role. Villages serve as centers for pearl surgery, trade, and community life. Arable lands grow rice and mulberry, while forested areas support species like Zaoyuan bamboo and Hu sheep. The system exemplifies circularity: pond mud enriches farmland and forests, while agricultural by-products feed aquatic systems. This seamless integration between land and water ensures environmental sustainability and reinforces cultural cohesion.