On January 6, 2022, the "Splendid Huaguan - China's Three Famous Brocades and Guangdong Xiangyun Yarn Culture Exhibition" began to be exhibited at the Dacheng Hall of the Memorial Hall of the Agricultural Lecture Institute.
According to the experts of the museum, ancient Chinese silk technology was formed and gradually matured as early as the Shang Dynasty. In the history of the development of Chinese silk varieties for thousands of years, Shu Brocade, Song Brocade and Yun Brocade are the three famous brocades that have the greatest influence in the long history, and the three famous brocades that have been handed down to this day are not only noble in fabrics, but also show the progress of silk science and technology in different periods under the efforts of generations, thus becoming three important milestones in the history of silk in China. The three famous brocades were all included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists in 2006 and the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
Xiangyun yarn is an ancient dyed fabric produced in the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong. The intricate production process and special silk texture make Xiangyun yarn enjoy the reputation of "soft gold", and has sold twelve silver and one horse in history, which is the "black rich beauty" of China's silk industry. As a unique cultural treasure of Guangdong, The dyeing and finishing technology of Xiangyun yarn was included in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008.
This exhibition is jointly held with the strength of the three museums, and a total of 76 cultural relics/exhibits (sets) are exhibited.
Shu Jin
Shu brocade has the longest history among the three major brocades, rising in the Warring States, flourishing in the Han and Tang Dynasties, and is named after the shu land. Its products and skills were sold to India, Persia and other places through the Southwest Silk Road, as well as to the countries of Central and West Asia, up to the Mediterranean coast, which played a positive role in the cultural exchange between China and the West. Technically, the early Shu brocade was dominated by multiple warp silk flowers, and the pioneering technique left a brilliant page in the history of ancient silk in China, and influenced the development of silk weaving technology in later generations. After the Tang Dynasty, wei brocade appeared, and the varieties became increasingly rich, and the patterns were plaid patterns, lotus flowers, turtle shell flowers, beads, birds, beasts, etc., which were very rich. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, its patterns include Qingfeng Nianjin, Lantern Brocade, Panqiu, Cuichi Lion, Skylark, as well as Seocho Crane, Hundred Flowers Peacock, Yinan Hundred Flowers, Ruyi Peony and so on. After the Qing Dynasty, Shu brocade and ancient Shu brocade have undergone great changes in fabric structure, so now we are talking about Shu brocade with warp satin as the ground, multiple weft threads showing flowers of the brocade structure as the main feature, representative varieties are yuehua brocade, rain silk brocade, square brocade and so on.
"Five-star out of the East to benefit China" brocade arm (Eastern Han Dynasty imitation)
Anle Jin (Han imitation parts)
Longevity Longevity Dayi Sun Zijin (Eastern Han Dynasty Replica)
Song Jin
Song brocade refers to the Song Dynasty developed by the Song Dynasty to show the same time of warp and weft brocade with Song Dynasty artistic style, known for the Song Dynasty Suzhou characteristic brocade, and later woven with this as a feature of the brocade is also known as "Song-style brocade" and "antique Song brocade", now collectively known as Song brocade.
The origins of Song brocade can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period, and the wu nobles in Jiangnan have already used brocade in large quantities in their lives. In the Tang Dynasty, with the improvement of silk weaving skills, twill weft brocade appeared from the twill warp brocade to show flowers with weft lines, which could weave more complex patterns than warp brocade, so it prevailed. With the southward migration of Emperor Gaozong of song, the political, economic and cultural center of the country gradually shifted to the Jiangnan region, suzhou set up a brocade institute, the production of brocade inherited the Tang Dynasty brocade weaving technology, the formation of a unique new variety - Song brocade, and gradually developed, brilliant in the Ming and Qing dynasties, becoming one of the three famous brocades of Chinese silk.
"Vitality" scarf (modern)
Navy blue ground flower tree tangled branches chrysanthemum pattern Song Jin (Qing imitation parts)
Orange pan tassel four seasons floral pattern Song Brocade (Ming imitation parts)
Spirit Vulture Pattern Song Jin (Song imitation parts)
Brocade
Yunjin, originating from the Six Dynasties and flourishing in the Ming and Qing dynasties, is a brocade that has developed and matured by collecting the essence of the crafts of the past dynasties after the Shu Brocade and the Song Jin, and drawing on the techniques of various related processes. Because it is mainly used as an imperial product, it pays attention to the excellence of material craftsmanship, so that its fabric quality has reached the peak of traditional Chinese silk weaving technology. Its texture is tight and thick, and the silk surface is named for its rich ornamentation and brilliant colors, just like the colorful and changing clouds in the sky. Although Yunjin is produced in the "three major weaving bureaus" of Jiangning, Suzhou and Hangzhou, the Jiangning guanying weaving, which was founded in Nanjing, has a large production volume in the official camp and the people, and was once one of the pillars of ancient Jiangning silk production, so it is mostly crowned in the name of "Nanjing Yunjin". In addition to being used by the court for official governments and rewards, Yunjin is also exported overseas and gradually diversified, especially the makeup and satin has a high scientific and technological connotation in terms of pattern, color, flower picking and weaving technology.
Big Red Ground Phoenix Wearing Peony Pattern Library Brocade Piece Sample (Modern)
Red satin wearing branches of the ocean chrysanthemum pattern makeup flower (modern)
Blue Earth Treasure Phase Pattern Woven Vault Gold Sheet Sample (Modern)
Fragrant cloud yarn
Xiangyun yarn, also known as salient yarn, the surface of the black smooth, similar to painted and perforated small flowers of the silk fabric, because of the wearing of the garment will rustle when the action is named "Xiangyun yarn", and later called "Xiangyun yarn" in its harmonic sound. According to relevant literature, the term "Xiangyun Yarn" was first found in the "Huaying Tongyu" re-edited in the Year of Qing Xianfeng Gengshen (1860), and the term "Xiangyun Yarn" was first recorded in the Qing Dynasty manuscript "Material Intention Pipe Peep" in the seventh year of Qing Tongzhi (1868).
The intricate production process and special silk texture make Xiangyun yarn enjoy the reputation of "soft gold". The difference between Xiangyun yarn and ordinary silk fabrics is that it is like a fine wine, and the longer it is worn, the more attractive it is. At the beginning, the fabric is black and smooth, and when it is worn, it will have a chemical reaction with the body, which will slowly fade the coating and reveal the brown and yellow background, and the more it is worn, the more oily and shiny it is, as if it has vitality.
Victory pattern incense cloud yarn short-sleeved diagonal cardigan
Nine-house checked cloud gauze trousers
Name: Splendid Huaguan - China's three famous brocades and Guangdong Xiangyun yarn cultural exhibition
Venue: Dacheng Hall, Memorial Hall, No. 42 Zhongshan 4th Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Exhibition period: January 6 - April 6, 2022
Text/Guangzhou Daily, Xinhuacheng reporter Bu Songzhu, correspondent Tan Yunzhe
Photo/Courtesy of the organizer
Guangzhou Daily Xinhuacheng editor Dai Yujing