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Young people dine at a night market in Shanxiahu town, Shaoxing. [Photo/Zhejiang Daily]

Unlike traditional rural towns, Shanxiahu town in Shaoxing is seeing an influx of young people bringing entrepreneurial fervor to the pearl industry, local media reported on May 15.

Since February, more than 8,000 college students have started pearl-related businesses in Shanxiahu.

One of the town's main attractions is a night market outside the East China International Jewelry City.

Crayfish is served at a night market in Shanxiahu town, Shaoxing. [Photo/Zhejiang Daily]

"I'm so happy that Shanxiahu now has a food street," said a young woman surnamed Qingning, who is a live-streaming host with over 1 million followers, after finishing her job at 2 am. She loves snails, crayfish, lamb skewers and beer.

Shanxiahu's pearl industry has been developing for more than 50 years, making the town the world's largest freshwater pearl production and marketing center. Its annual production of pearls accounts for 73 percent of the world's total freshwater pearl production.

The town also has the largest international and domestic pearl distribution center in East China International Jewelry City, with nearly 1,500 merchants.