Besides love, with its wealth of meanings, there are few words in the English language with as many powerful associations as gold.

From the gold standard to the golden rule; from a heart of gold to something being as "good as gold"; and from Olympians "going for gold" to retirees enjoying the "golden years", the precious metal has inspired a rich vocabulary through the ages.

China's reverence of gold, the color of good luck, wealth and imperial standing, stretches especially far back. But due in part to the recent anti-corruption campaign, the yellow metal seems to be walking a fine cultural/political line.