Chinese Silk: A Cultural History

About this book

Silk is one of Chinas major contributions to world civilization the secrets of its cultivation closely guarded for generations. The famous network of trade routes between West and East is still known as the Silk Road. The organization and techniques of Chinese silk production the uses of the silk producedboth bolts and made-up piecesand the types and styles of its ornament are celebrated in this richly illustrated and accessible book the first general survey to be published in English. Shelagh Vainker traces the cultural history of silk in China from its Neolithic origins to the twentieth century and considers its relationship to the other decorative arts. She traces the role of silk in Chinese history trade religion and literature. Drawing on the most recent archaeological evidence from other less perishable media such as jades and bronzes as well as paintings poems and other texts Chinese Silk brings together material available until now only in Chinese supplemented with recent acquisitions by public and private collections in the United States and Europe. The result is a book that illuminates the luxury of silk throughout the ages.