Silk Road, China National Silk Museum

The story of Chinese silk, from the origin and development of silk, the colorful Chinese silk display tells the history of silk development and the colorful embroidery embroidery. The exhibition hall shows the style of traditional Chinese costumes from the Warring States to the Republic of China. Interpret the function of silk clothing in ancient society from the aspects of obeying the gods, dressing clothes, and daily use.

After more than 20 years of growth, today, the China Silk Museum has become the world’s largest collection of textiles and costumes collections, research, inheritance and display. In July 2016, the China Silk Museum was reopened to the public after a period of more than one year of renovation and upgrading.

It concentrates on the essence of five thousand years of silk cultural relics, and the constant temperature and humidity environment in the hall provides good preservation conditions for delicate silk cultural relics. The Museum of Historical and Cultural Relics is divided into two halls according to the times: one hall mainly introduces the history of silk development from the Neolithic Age to the Song and Liaoyuan periods; the second hall is dedicated to show the royal and royal treasures of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the archaeological excavations.

At the same time, it shows the achievements China has made in silk production, scientific research and foreign trade after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. At the same time, there are various kinds of handicrafts made of silk as a carrier and some new silk products.

Through the exhibition, we will talk about the history of silk development and the culture behind the colorful embroidery embroidery. That is to say, the origin and development of silk through the organic combination of exhibits and panels of the sub-units of “origin and start-up – innovation and maturity – integration and development”, showing three important stages of the history of Chinese silk five thousand years of development; “Colorful Chinese silk” is divided into four parts: “Colorful silk fabrics – colorful printing and dyeing fabrics – beautiful silk embroidery – meaning rich silk patterns”, through the display of enamel, Luo, silk, satin, Jin and other woven embroidery boutiques, Ming and Qing dynasty official weaving materials and silk varieties of the organizational structure enlargement model, and the fabric observation table and “embroidered room” scene, intuitively answer the audience what is 绫, 罗, silk, satin, what is Weaving, dyeing and embroidering.

The Story of Silk
From a popular luxury fabric to the Silk Road

Sericulture in the Warring States Period
Qin and Han Dynasties (221 BC – AD 220)

During these seven centuries, unprecedented advances took place in sericulture technology and scale, and the importance of silk in Chinese grew significantly. The breeding of silkworms, cultivation of mulberry trees, and invention of looms in which foot operated treadles controlled the warp to allow the insertion of weft threads, as well as patterning looms in which “pre-programmed” patterns could be reproduced coalesced in the classical system of Chinese silk production.

The penetration of the Western Regions of Central Asia by Zhang Qian, beginning in BCE 139 during the reign of the Han dynasty Martial Emperor Wudi, paved the way for the trade routes that eventually connected the advanced Central Plains civilization of China with Central Asia, West Asia and Europe.

The creation of the Silk Road provided a conduit for the international commerce in silk, and stimulating the transmission, exchange and assimilation of silk production, silk technology and art across the two continents.

Silk in the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties
AD 420 – AD 589

The third through sixth centuries in China were a time of conflict and confrontation as well as cultural assimilation. Increased commercial and cultural traffic on the Silk Road between the East and the West brought about significant developments in culture, the fine arts and sciences.

Due in part to the influx of numerous Western influences, the traditional system of silk manufacture established during the Qin and Han dynasties advanced rapidly. This was a major turning point in the history of sericulture in China.

Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties Period
AD 581 – AD 960

The late sixth to late tenth centuries in China were another period of intense conflict and cultural assimilation. During this period, three major centers of silk production gradually took shape: the Yellow River (Huanghe) valley; the Sichuan basin in southwest China; and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (Changjiang), the region called Jiangnan.

During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the string of oasis towns along the Silk Road that had been settled during the Han dynasty flourished as never before. The brisk international trade along the transcontinental route greatly stimulated cross-cultural encounters between China and Central and Western Asia.

The impact of this grand diversity was strongly felt in China. As a result, in both technological and aesthetic terms, the silk produced during this time exhibited an unprecedented hybrid East-West style.

Silk in the Liao, Song and Yuan Dynasties
AD 960 – AD 1368

The founding of the Song dynasty brought an end to the regional power struggles that prevailed during the late Tang. Due to long years of conflict and changing weather patterns, the former production of silk in the Yellow River basin decreased dramatically, while silk production in the Yangtze River delta increased.

By the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), the Yangtze delta was the most important center of sericulture in China. To increase government revenues, the Song and Yuan governments practiced a policy of treating farmers and merchants equally, and encouraged overseas trade in silk.

Maritime silk roads replaced the desert silk roads, transporting silk over great distances in less time. Sericulture technology evolved on the basis of the achievements of the Sui and Tang. Once again, cultural conflict and assimilation in the Yuan dynasty saw the blending of Mongol, Islamic and traditional Chinese elements.

Silk in the Ming and Qing dynasties
AD 1368 – AD 1912

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the silk industry reached a zenith, with private workshops rather than state workshops accounting for the majority of production. Satin, velvet and brocaded silk with discontinuous supplementary wefts broadened the repertory of weave types, and auspicious motifs auguring good fortune, long life and large families predominated.

With the marked expansion of the sea trade between China and the West, unprecedented quantities of Chinese silk were shipped to Europe and the Americas, inspiring the widespread taste for Chinoiserie in the 18th century.

China National Silk Museum, Hangzhou, China

Located in West Lake, Hangzhou, China Silk Museum is a national silk professional museum and the world’s largest silk museum. It covers an area of ​​five hectares, with a building area of ​​8,000 square meters and an exhibition area of ​​3,000 square meters. It was officially opened on February 26, 1992. .

The China Silk Museum “Promotes the ancient silkworm cocoon culture and explores the new Silk Road” and displays the history and culture of China’s 5,000-year-old silk. Its basic exhibitions include the Preface Hall, the Historical Relics Hall, the Silk Hall, the Dyeing and Weaving Hall, and the Modern Achievement Hall. Wait for five parts.

The China Silk Museum is an elegant environment with a soft and elegant architectural style. The mulberry gardens in the museum are dyed with grass and small bridges, allowing people to enjoy the scenery of nature. The museum also has a variety of silk shopping malls, Jinxiu Gallery, Jingluntang high-end custom, etc., is a good place for recreation.

The China Silk Museum will not only become the largest silk-themed textile and apparel museum in China, but will also be the theme pavilion of the Silk Road and Silk Road, which will become an important window for the promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road.