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November 9, 1940,
SILK-One of China's Oldest and Most Industries
SOME two thousand years before the birth of Christ there lived in China an Emperor Huang Ti, who
was
known as the Yellow Emperor. He was one
of the outstanding
Famed
figures in these very now, while the men tended the of symbols to be found on Chinese
them.
SOME of the most beautiful of the be seen to-day early
of the farms and the land, the women embroideries I will give a list of Chinese textiles to
are the ceremonial --robes. These days
On the emperor's upper robe. was Chinese story, for he looked after the silkworms, and
in this way the silk industry of the sun (with a three-legged bird were woven in the same way as we on it), the moon (with our old friend weave tapestry in Europe, but the gathered together all China began.
imountains, a pair of dragons and the weft and a considerable amount the little states that Right up until recent times, the hire of immortality), the store, Chinese used silk for the warp as
while the Emperor ploughed u
cred two
On the lower robe were of metal thread was also introduced..
bation cups, were scattered among furrow at the Temple of Agricul embroide
You will often see panels of some of water plants, flames of fire; sprays the hills and plains and turd during the Spring Festival
Only the emperor of these robes in collections of Chin- the Empress offered mulberry, symbol "fu."
embroideries and hangings. altar in the gardens of the For- selection of them, varying in num- Very commonly landscapes ware also bidden City in Peking.
Thus it may be seen that the
of
brought them under one leaves at the Hsien Tsan Tan could wear all twelve symbols, but
his nobles were allowed a certain esc
government.
The Yellow Emperor made roads, and built boats to facili-
Wes
woven, and so no is the work that ber according to their rank.
to the story of
they might have been painted, In TO return.
000-12781 Sung dynasty (A.D.
fact some of the finishing touches- equal tate transport by land and river manufacture of silk is one of the
oldest
China's industries so prolife in all art forms, was
favourite were often put in by the brush, but rich in textiles, The Ty between the different parts of the country, and during his existing until modern times, and designs of Sung weavers were those this technique was not employed un- reign a happy, contented, music by the time of the Han dynasty which may often be seen copied on 11 the 19th century. Most of these
broidery to-day-dragons, pheasants, eighteenth century and later. loving people made flutes and (B.C. 206-A.D. 220) the skill more modern pieces of Chinese em to be seen in Europe date from the pipes, music with bells, and of the Chinese weavers
The stitches used were in ming among water plants, storks, many different kinds of stringed equal to that of the potters, and sprays of rose-mallow, fishes swim-
workers in metals, and the same and llons playing with balls. instruments,
designs were often common to During the reign of the world themselves quite simple and famous Kublai Khan of the within the scope of most wo- But if the Emperor. Huang Ti both. did all this for China, it was AFTER the Tartar invasion Yuan dynasty (A.D. 1280-1368) men who make a hobby of em- silks were seen in broidery. They consisted chiefly his Empress Lei Tsu who made came the introduction of Buddh- Chinese a discovery that was of even iam into China, and with it Europe. The large ocean-going of long and short satin stitch, more lasting importance to her the opportunities for using beau- Chinese junks of this time were
country. Legend has it that it tiful silks and embroideries for able to get as far as Aden thus stem stitch, and Chinese knots; was Lei Tsu who, when sitting church robes and vestments, greatly facilitating transport of when using thicker thread, such one day beneath the mulberry With the Tang dynasty (A.D. goods between the East and the as the gold thread, couching and trees in the palace garden, 618-906) the Persian influence west.
noticed a little worm feeding on
its leaves; she watched and discovered that at a
certain
By Joan Grigsby
medan countries,
laid work were also used.'
THE symbols used in Chinese em- broidery, like those on the pottery and porcelain, all have a algnificance of their own..
The deer which is to be so
often
and
stage in its development this
During the Ming dynasty (A.D. worm wound itself into a soft silken cocoon, which, when care- becomes very marked; there was
most typical (A.D. 1644-1912) the fully unwound produced a long, traffic by sea with the Arab 1368-1644) and the Ch'ing dynasty seen upon Chinese tapestries is sup-
world, and Chinese silks became designs were floral. Thus we get the posed to live to a very great age,
has thus become one of the symbols. strong, shining silken thread.
The Empress realised that very much prized in Moham-flowers of the four seasons, the of long life; it is said to be the only peony, the prunus, the lotus and the animal who is able to find the fun- this thread could be woven in The designs of the period were chrysanthemum constantly appearing gus of Immortality, and the Chinese just the same way as the wool largely floral and animal, and these in the textiles of the period.
To the Chinese, the peony, which still eat large quantities of Lortshorn and hemp out of which the of course, persisted into later periods people already made their gar- with due elaboration or modification is the sign of spring, is the king of a medicine in the hope of pro-
to the tendency of the flowers, an
an emblem of love and longing their days.
The dragon is the symbol of the ments, but instead of producing according
time. all times, however, it may affection.
The lotus is the emblem of summer Emperor, and the Phoenix of the a rude rough homespun material be
followed some particular and fruitfulness. It is often seen Empress.
on silks since to the
fa a The dragon of course, is always. it could be woven into lovely the at the treatment of fabric of a far, far more deli- rules or conventions, in the matter embroidered
and is one of the most of juxtaposition of colours and sub- Chlaese it cate texture,
Decini fecis, and even in recent Umes cer-symbol of pulity and pericction be occurring. So the Empress had special lain colours
symbolical objects not
not defied just as Buddha is born Chinese decoration, since unlike his sheds and heated rooms made ranks, and exert compel to certain cause it grows out of mud and is important of til symbols used lo as the twelve ornaments" into the world but lives above the character in the western world he
stands for good and not for evil. for the silkworms, and she such
The chrysanthemum is the emblem
The bamboo, so often to be seen in taught her women and girls to were only allowed to be used in their world."
of good all forms of Chinese decoration, may care for them and feed them full number embroidered on the robe
of an emperor. These ornaments are of nutumn, and a symbol
also be seen recurring in much of with fresh mulberry leaves; supposed to signify authority and fellowship and joviality.
The prunus is the emblem of win- the Chinese embroidery. It has been they learned to do fine weaving power, and because they are, per-
of China" as it. called "the friend
found
of die the majority be and beautiful embroideries; and hops, the earliest of all the groups ter,
may tricts of the country. It has many
Hermann Awaits Without! Without What? Without Wit! qualities, like the dear it is a symbol
VELL // VAT IS YOUR LADEST SCREAMINGLY VUNNY WISECRACK HERMANN ?.
of it, of longevity, possibly because
told of the bam- evergreen. A story boo is that one of the twenty-four classical "examples of filial piety," sick mother who longed for a soup made of the shoots of the young It bamboo. Since
had
ing,
m
winter her
son was unable to satisfy her crav
and his grief at this was so great that his tears, watering the earth, caused to bring
forth tender shoots
out of the hard, frost-bound ground.
and the old lady had her soup. Chinese art is inseparably linked with the legend and history of the country.
It is an art that springs from the earth and surrounding nature, show log in all ita manifestations the Chinese delight in simple and beau- tiful things; an art in which we to- day may take an especial delight for in it may be traced a wisdom and serenity which is the inevitable out come of a country that was old and cultured when those of the west:
were young.
'TURNALL'
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