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Tang Dynasty Guozhou silk weaving industry
Guozhou and Langzhou in the Tang Dynasty were an important economic and cultural center in Shannanxi Province, and were one of the most economically, culturally and educationally developed areas in Bashu at that time. The most developed industries are textiles and salt making.
The capital of Shannan's Western Province is in Xingyuan Province, and the area under its jurisdiction, south of Micang Mountain, south of Daba Mountain, and east of the Jialing River, is the economically backward "Banan Prefecture". Fruit and Langjing salt are the supply of edible salt to the Banan Prefectures and local garrisons. A large number of well salt, heavy silk, ba aya, medicinal herbs, citrus, etc., were transported north from Longyou, Guanzhong or into Chang'an through waterways and Jialing Yidao, and south into Jingchu and all over the jiangnan. The Jialing Yidao by land, which went straight to Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Empire, in the north, and Connected to Chongqing, He, Syria and Luzhou in the south, was the most convenient avenue for all ethnic groups in the southwest to reach Chang'an at that time. Therefore, the Tang people regarded Guozhou and Langzhou as a region, and the oral or written wording was often "guo, lang" in conjunction. Especially in the middle and late Tang Dynasty, "Guo and Lang" became an important economic center in Shannan's Western Province.
Nanchong "Silk City" (also known as "Silk Goddess") statue (Pengzhou Xianshi photo)
Due to the good quality of silk, the silk produced in Guozhou and Langzhou is thicker than the products of other places, and is called "heavy silk". During the Middle and Tang Dynasties, the "Two Tax Law" was implemented, and the imperial court stipulated that Jiannan Dongchuan, Jiannan Xichuan and Banan Prefectures could all use heavy silk to pay taxes, and the supply of heavy silk in Guozhou and Langzhou was in short supply, and the price rose, becoming the most expensive silk in the country. According to the Taiping Huanyu Chronicle, the Tang Dynasty Duan Wenchang's "Record of Entering Shu" said: "Guo and Lang Erzhou, the silk is fifteen zhang long, and the weight is one. Its color is bright white. In addition to heavy silk, the "Ba Jin" produced by Guolang, the yarn produced in Langzhou, and the yarn produced in Guozhou are also well-known throughout the country.
Guozhou in the Tang Dynasty was one of the most developed areas of silk and linen weaving in Shannanxi Province. The silk cloth produced was designated by the imperial court as a tribute, and the special cloth for the officials. At that time, the cultivation of bashu mulberry hemp was widespread, and since the Anshi Rebellion, the silk and linen textile industry developed rapidly, and the soil silk produced soon became the most refined textile in the country. Tu silk is the longest-produced textile in Guozhou. However, before the Middle Tang Dynasty, Guozhou's silk weaving technology was backward, with high output and low quality. During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, the whole country was divided into eight grades, and the soil silk produced in Guozhou and Langzhou was listed as the seventh class.
Cocoon of silkworms (Source: Sichuan Economic News)
There are two reasons why Guozhou's silk weaving technology is backward:
First, after the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the system of chapter clothing has always been strict, and there are strict hierarchical regulations on the identity of the use of silk fabrics. Until the sixteenth year of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang 's reign (728), he also stipulated: "Five products or more, universal Chi, Aya, and Luo." Below the six pins, Xiao Aya, except for the head, is not allowed to serve Luo, Jiao, and Du Qiao Xiu Aya. "Exiles and people are not allowed to wear silk, aya, luo, or silk." The production and consumption of all high-grade silk and linen fabrics was basically cut off by the government. The production of high-grade textiles has long been controlled by the government, and craftsmen or weavers are engaged in production under the supervision of officials. All products are returned to the authorities and cannot be bought or sold. Not only are ordinary people not allowed to use high-grade textiles, but ordinary officials who use high-grade textiles to make clothes in violation of the law will also be severely punished. Under the restrictions of this government decree, even if the private sector can produce high-quality fabrics, there is no consumer market, and there is no incentive for private weaving to develop technology to improve quality.
Nanchong traditional silk weaving complex picture is a female worker in the late inspection process (Source: Sichuan Economic News)
Second, silk and drapery were often used as currency in the commodity market of the Tang Dynasty. It is obviously more affordable to pursue quantity than to improve quality. For these reasons, in the twenty-fifth year of the New Century (737), the price of soil silk produced in Guozhou was 1.5 times lower than that of Henan Province. It can be seen that until the tang dynasty, the level of folk weaving in Guozhou was very low. After the Anshi Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty's chapter and clothing system existed in name only, subordinate officials, soldiers, and common people all used high-grade silk satin, and there was a broad market for high-quality silk and silk, coupled with the implementation of the two tax laws, shannan's western provinces paid taxes on silk, so the quality of silk fabrics in The Banan prefectures, especially the fruit and langerzhou, increased rapidly. In the sixth year of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (852), Zhongshu Menxia said: "Guo and Langzhou silk are the most expensive, with nine hundred and fifty texts per horse." Up to fifty feet, down to forty-five feet. Secondly, Song and Haozhou soil silk. "During the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Tang, it was stipulated that the heavy silk in Guozhou should be discounted into taxes according to the third-class valuation, with a maximum of 1,100 yuan per horse and a minimum of 900 yuan per horse.
Source: Sichuan Provincial Local History Work Office
Contributed by: Local History Office of Shunqing District, Nanchong City
Pictured: Fang Zhi Sichuan
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