| The
cultivation of the silkworm can be traced back to the 3 rd century
BC. It was said that Demigod Leizu, a legendary figure of
prehistoric China, started the planting of mulberry trees and
raise of silkworms. According to archeological discovery, silk and
silk fabrics emerged at least 5,500 years ago. In the Zhou
dynasty, special administration was set up to manage sericulture
and silk production. From 138 B.C. to 126 B.C., Zhang Qian started
his diplomatic mission under imperial order to the west along the
famous Silk Road. Gradually, sericulture and silk production
techniques spread to many countries. Now, Chinese silk still
enjoys high reputation in the world.
Embroidery
Embroidery always
accompanies silk and its development. The most famous embroideries
in China are Su embroidery in Jiangsu, Xiang embroidery in Hunan,
Shu embroidery in Sichuan and Yue embroidery in Guangdong, namely
Four Renowned Embroideries.
Su Embroidery
Suzhou Embroidery
appeared in the Northern Song Dynasty and was briefly named Su
embroidery. According to history records, Su embroidery was so
popular in the Song dynasty that people even named their lanes
with names concerned with silk and embroidery. Almost every family
raised silkworm and embroidered. Su embroidery reached its peak in
Qing dynasty.
Su embroidery has wide range of
themes. Its techniques include single face embroidery and unique
double-face embroidery, which looks the same from either side.
Simple composition, clear theme, vivid image and gentle color are
basic features of delicate Su embroidery. Now it even absorbs some
western painting techniques.
Xiang Embroidery
Combining merits
of Su embroidery and Yue embroidery with local embroidery, Xiang
embroidery came into being in the later Qing dynasty. However,
Hunan's local embroidery had a long history. Archeologists have
discovered fine silk embroidery items in the Chu and Han Tombs,
which were both more than 2,000 years ago.
Compare with the other
embroideries, it is unique in style. Its unique embroidery
techniques facilitate tiger patterns embroidery, which Xiang
embroidery is famous for. Although it features techniques of
painting, engraving, calligraphy and embroidery, it is generally
based on the Chinese painting. Now, it has developed a new
unmatched embroidery product - Double-face and Different Images
Embroidery, which features different images and colors on each
side of the transparent chiffon.
Shu Embroidery
As it is mainly
produced around Chengdu, Sichuan province, it is also called Chuan
Embroidery. It has a long history although it formed a style in
the middle of the Qing dynasty. The materials adopted for such
embroidery are local-produced soft satin and colorful threads. The
threads are neatly and thickly used and the colors are elaborately
arranged. It is characterized by even stitches, bright threads,
closeness and softness in texture, delicate needling. Its theme
covers mainly animals and plants in the nature, especially adept
at embroidering pandas and fish. The embroidered products include
mirror curtain, wedding dress, hats and shoes etc., with the main
themes of auspicious happiness.
Yue Embroidery
It is also called
Cantonese Embroidery for it is produced in Guangdong province. It
is said that it was created by a minority people in the middle and
at the end of the Ming dynasty. A variety of threads are used,
including thread twisted from the peacock quill and down thread
from the horsetail. The whole piece is bright in color with gold
thread as the contour for embroidering complicated patterns,
looking splendid. Such themes are usually employed as A Hundred
Birds Displaying Homage to The Phoenix, marine products and
melons.
Silk Goods
Originated in the
primitive society, silk skills are one of great Chinese
contributions to the world development. It demonstrates the
brilliant civilization of ancient China. According to the
different weaving skills and silk fabrics, silk goods are divided
to many types, such as brocade, satin and so on. Historically,
most of these silk goods served as clothing material and
decorations. However, the common people, who once produced
excellent silk skills and goods, could not afford this expensive
material because of poverty.
Sichuan Brocade
Produce in Chengdu, Sichuan
province, in Han dynasty, Sichuan brocade is the main branch of
the traditional silk brocade. Since Sichuan and the middle China
was linked up, the brocade-making skills were spread throughout
China. With more and more designs, patterns, and colors applied,
Sichuan silk brocade had flourished in Tang, Song, and Yuan
dynasties. Especially in Tang dynasty, Sichuan brocade produced a
large number of marvelous goods, in which the bundle flower lining
brocade and the red lion and phoenix lining brocade were magnum
opus of this period.
Zhuang Brocade
Produced in the Guangxi province,
it is a brocade of the Zhuang minority. Taking the silk down and
locally produced silk threads as materials, the articles such as
quilt facing, tablecloth, and scarf are woven on the weaving
machine, which operated by one woman. The patterns on the Zhuang
brocade are mainly figures, flora and fauna and geometrical
grains.
Suzhou Brocade
Produce in Suzhou,
Jiangsu province, this kind of brocade was the most famous brocade
in China. It once was lost at the end of the Ming dynasty, but
soon revived at the beginning of the Qing dynasty. Suzhou brocade
was characterized by the harmonious colors and geometrical
patterns. It is divided to big brocade and small brocade according
to the size. Big brocade, also called heavy brocade, mainly served
as mounting picture and decoration, while the small brocade is
used as decorations for small articles.
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