Chinese Silk

Silk as a symbol of ancient Chinese history, has not only weaved an excellent picture in the nation's civilization history, but also has made indelible contributions for the advancement of human beings. For thousands of years, Chinese silk has been known for its superior quality, exquisite patterns, and rich cultural connotations. For centuries the West knew very little about silk and the people who made it. Pliny, the Roman historian, wrote in his Natural History in 70 BC "Silk was obtained by removing the down from the leaves with the help of water?. For more than two thousand years the Chinese kept the secret of silk altogether to themselves. It was the most zealously guarded secret in history. There are many myths of how silk was discovered in

China. Chinese legend gives the title Goddess of Silk to Lady Hsi-Ling-Shih, wife of the mythical Yellow Emperor, who was said to have ruled China in about 3000 BC. She taught her people sericulture (the raising and keeping of silkworms for silk production) as early as 5000 years ago. Also in myth, some Chinese women were picking fruit from a tree when they discovered a white hard fruit they hadn't seen before. After they couldn't eat it even when it had been boiled, they began to beat it with sticks to break the fruit, before they realised that it was the cocoon of the silk worm! Anyway, since the silk production started, it has been used as one of the best and richest materials for clothing. The Chinese developed ways of making clothes with the new material, as the

technology developed to keep up with demand. Silk was a precious commodity highly sought by other countries at a very early time, and it soon became necessary to build a road to trade with other countries though it is believed that the silk trade was actually started before the Silk Road was officially opened in the second century BC. The ancient Silk Road, running from Chang'an (Xi'an) across Middle, South and West Asia, and even connecting Europe in some places. Because of the trade into Europe, Chinese silk was hugely popular amongst the Romans, especially women. Prior to the trade along the silk road, the Romans had used clothes made of linen, animal skins or wool, so the luxury material of silk was highly prized as a display of wealth and social status.