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Early Period 早期

From jade artifacts in the shape of silkworms and a wide vocabulary relating to silk production and clothing, it is clear that silk was popular in the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Production was standardized, labor specialized, and work was supervised by government officials. In the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States periods a wider variety of silk artifacts were produced. Suzhou was established as the main center of silk production. A reproduction of a brocade from the Warring States Period is shown below.

舞人动物纹锦 战国（公元前475〜221年） 复制件 苏州丝绸博物馆 Brocade with dancers and animals Warring States Period (475—221 BCE), Suzhou Silk Museum

In 1972 a Han dynasty tomb was discovered in the No. 1 Mawang Pit 马王堆. Included in the discoveries were silk artifacts with fine color printed designs. The designs included plants with vines, flower buds, and bunches of leaves arranged in intricate patterns. More than 20 different designs were found in total. The designs were most likely created with openwork printing blocks or from carved relief printing plates. The picture below shows printed silk fabric from the Western Han (206 BCE — 25 CE).

印花敷彩纱工艺步骤图 西汉（公元前206〜25年） 苏州丝绸博物馆 Color printed brocade Western Han (206 BCE — 25 CE), Suzhou Silk Museum

The brocade below, discovered in Minfeng, Xinjiang, from the Eastern Han, has a longevity design.

延年益寿大宜子孙锦 东汉（公元25〜220年） 苏州丝绸博物馆 （复制件） Longevity suitable for everybody brocade Eastern Han (25—220 CE), Suzhou Silk Museum (reproduction)

The brocade below, excavated from Astana, Xinjiang in the Northern Dynasties, has a Kui dragon 夔 design.

夔纹锦 北朝（公元386〜581年） 苏州丝绸博物馆 Brocade with Kui dragon design Northern Dynasties (386—581 CE), Suzhou Silk Museum

The brocade below, also excavated from Astana, Xinjiang in the Northern Dynasties, has a tree lamp design.

灯树纹锦 北朝（公元386〜581年） 苏州丝绸博物馆 Brocade with tree lamp design Northern Dynasties (386—581 CE), Suzhou Silk Museum

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