preview

Sericulture In Ancient China

Decent Essays

Sericulture in Ancient China For thousands of years, silk has been an important part of Chinese culture and economy. Silk was and is prized as a luxury textile and a symbol of wealth; Silk’s bright luster and soft touch are the main reasons it was a favored clothing material among the nobles of Europe and Asia. The silk industry, sericulture, has gained China major trading opportunities, bringing the country much wealth and fame. Sericulture became a notorious symbol of China and it played a major role in the country’s civilization. Silk is fine, soft, strong natural protein fiber made from filaments from the cocoons of the domestic silkworm. Silk objects, specifically clothing, is known for having a bright luster, soft touch, being extremely …show more content…

Silk was such a luxury when it was first invented, only the emperor and his close relations were allowed to wear it. Later on, silk became less restricted, nobles could wear it (“Legend of Silk”). Eventually, silk became something common: various classes were able to wear silk clothing and it came into more general use. Silk was used for everyday items such as fishing lines, bowstrings, and rag paper. In the Han dynasty, farmers sometimes paid a portion of their taxes in silk. Silk was also used for paying civil servants and rewarding outstanding subjects. Values were calculated in lengths of silk and it was used as money used in foreign trade. It was possible this added importance was the result of a major increase in silk production. The silk road was an ancient network of trade routes that stretched from China to Eastern Europe. The silk road was important because it allowed trade to flourish in several different kingdoms, allowing ideas, culture, inventions, and unique products to spread (“Legend of Silk”). One of the major products traded along the silk road was Chinese silk, therefore giving the route its name. The valuable textile was sought after by nobles all across Europe and Asia, and China became known for its beautiful silk cloth, prized for its softness and

Get Access