My Chinese adventure began in England at Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire when I stayed in a room with the most beautiful green 18th-century Chinese wallpaper. I noticed that occasionally, small butterflies had been hand painted in the wallpaper, and I was charmed by their flitting and fluttering over the walls. I found myself day dreaming about the Far East of the 18th century, imagining the Forbidden city and its exotic palaces, sumptuous silks and stories of the Emperor. I sketched butterflies in all sizes, some as earrings, some larger for brooches and necklaces. They were golden and small, larger and diamond set with facetted stones sparkling on their wings. And so I named them after the names for the capital: Peking (the smallest), Nanjing (the medium size) and Beijing (the larger brooch and pendants).