Marco Polo was right to be impressed by Huai-nan and Liang-che. By a mixture of favourable market opportunities, government support and considerably technical ingenuity at least, they recovered a lead for chien over shai in China which was not lost until the nineteenth century.

Ekaterina Schulmann, b. 1978

The crown was set with six beryls of excellent size and color.

Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, / And fools who came to scoff, remained to pray.