ASIA’S ALCHEMY

Gold, the eternal symbol of wealth and prosperity, is deeply entrenched in the sustainable traditions of Asia, where recycling isn’t a trend but a legacy. Tatler finds out how we lost our way and how we can learn to be more environmentally conscious based on culture and traditions

By Amrita Katara

Asia’s relationship with gold transcends mere adornment, intertwining sustainability with ancestral wisdom. From the urban mines in Tokyo to the rivers where the Igorot people in the Philippines pan for gold, the continent is a mosaic of recycling practices, as traditional as it is diverse. The concept of “precious metals” is age-old; take, for example, their long-time use as currency. “Coins were the currency for [trade on the] Silk Road. So you could have gold and silver coins—alloys with brass and lead—and then you could [trade them for] goods. And this was interesting for two reasons,” says Mathilde Berger, art historian and lecturer at L’École Asia Pacific. “First, a Silk Road trade allowed people to use those coins and to transport them; they started to pierce them, drilling the metal…

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Tatler Hong Kong (Digital) - 1 Issue, November 2024

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