Silk

China, the cradle of sericulture and silk, has been recognized by the world for its long history of silk production and has created an excellent silk culture. Hangzhou, known as the "Home of Silk", is an important part of China's silk history and culture.

Hangzhou is one of China's "Eight Ancient Capitals" and has close ties with the development of silk. According to the archaeological finds from the Liangzhu Culture (3400-2250 BC), our ancient ancestors were already engaged in a series of silk production procedures such as mulberry growing, silkworm raising, silk reeling, and weaving. During the Spring and Autumn Period (771-476 BC), the ruler of Yue State (now northern Zhejiang) promoted the further development of the silk industry through the implementation of incentive policies for sericulture. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Hangzhou's silk industry was already well developed and complete, and the best of them were dedicated to the imperial family as tributes. In the subsequent Southern Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), Hangzhou's silk industry reached its peak, and Hangzhou was officially recognized as the "Home of Silk" at that time.

In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), the Hangzhou silk industry was more prosperous than ever before. Marco Polo, an Italian merchant, explorer and writer from the Republic of Venice, wrote in his book "The Travels of Marco Polo" that, "Both men and women are fair and comely, and for the most part clothe themselves in silk, so vast is the supply of that material, both from the whole district of Kinsay (Hangzhou), and from the imports by traders from other provinces.”

As the "Home of Silk", Hangzhou has thousands of beautiful silk fabrics with a wide variety of patterns, designs, and colors. Hangzhou's silk fabrics are so exquisite that they are praised by foreign tourists as "the flower of oriental art". Light and soft, with high moisture absorption, the material has an eye-catching appearance and is popular at home and abroad.

In addition, the application of silk is not limited to clothing but also includes practical items, such as silk umbrellas and folding fans. The production of these items is complex, with many poetic and fictitious designs.