Sparkling Tears of the Sun

This article was written by Leanne Kao and published by The Taiwan Journal on March 1, 2003. It reports that glass beads were coveted for their lustrous beauty by aboriginal tribes of southern Taiwan for hundreds of years. An art studio in Pingtung County has been producing glass beads and reviving interest in the art for nearly twenty years. Its address is: Dragonfly Bead Art Studio, No. 9, Section 2, Chung-cheng Rd., Santimen Village, Santimen, Pingtung, Taiwan.

"In the days of myth when the sun still lived close to the earth, a pregnant woman built a fire and set upon it a pot of water to boil some millet. The pot began to steam and bubble, and the heat pushed the sun away from the earth. The sun, forced to part with the beloved world of mortals, burst into tears, and its teardrops fell to earth and crystallized into glass beads. A dashing young Peacock Prince, wishing to win the heart of a Paiwan princess, presented her with a string of these beads decorated with patterns as lovely as peacock feathers. The beads captivated the young princess, and the two soon married."

"This tale illustrates the importance of glass beads for the Paiwan people, who count them among their three treasures, along with bronze knives and ceramic pots, and consider them an indispensable part of Paiwan weddings. Taiwan's aboriginal tribes, particularly the Paiwan and the Rukai peoples, have been fascinated with brightly colored beads for hundreds of years as well as the stories attached to their reappearing patterns."