Silk was expensive because it was brought all the way from China, crossing dangerous roads through mountains and deserts. People who lived along the routes demanded payments for allowing the traders to pass through. This increased the cost of silk.
Was silk a luxury in ancient China?
After some time, silk gradually extended to other classes of Chinese society, though this was mainly the uppermost noble classes. Silk began to be used for decorative means and also in less luxurious ways; musical instruments, fishing, and bow-making all utilized silk.
Why was silk so expensive in ancient China?
Silk was expensive because it was brought all the way from China, crossing dangerous roads through mountains and deserts. People who lived along the routes demanded payments for allowing the traders to pass through. This increased the cost of silk. Was this answer helpful?
Was silk rare in ancient China?
The oldest evidence of silk made by silkworms has been found buried in 8,500-year-old tombs in China, revealing that people may have used the luxurious material thousands of years earlier than previously thought, a new study finds. Silk was a rare luxury good in the ancient world.
What was silk valuable?
Regarded as an extremely high value product, silk was reserved for the exclusive usage of the Chinese imperial court for the making of cloths, drapes, banners, and other items of prestige.
Why was silk is so expensive?
From rearing of silkworms to spinning the cocoons to obtain the final product is a long process. With the demand for silk and declining availability of silkworms, the entire process has become expensive.
How did silk impact Ancient China?
Silk is a fabric first produced in Neolithic China from the filaments of the cocoon of the silk worm. It became a staple source of income for small farmers and, as weaving techniques improved, the reputation of Chinese silk spread so that it became highly desired across the empires of the ancient world.
Is pure silk expensive?
Silk is an incredibly expensive textile, and while some genuine manufacturers can afford to offer it at reasonable prices, if you're seeing something at an extremely low price then it's probably too good to be true.
Who invented silk in China?
It was discovered by the Chinese 5,000 years ago. According to legend, the princess Xi Lingshi discovered that a cocoon could be unravelled to produce a thread when one dropped into her tea while sat under a mulberry tree.
What is Chinese silk made from?
The vast majority of Chinese silk originates from the mulberry silkworms (Bombyx mori). During the larval stage of its life-cycle, the insects feed on the leaves of mulberry trees. Non-mulberry silkworms cocoon production in China primarily focuses on wild silk from the Chinese Tussah moth (Antheraea spp.).
Is silk worth more than gold?
By weight silk was worth as much as gold and often used as a form of money and could be given as bribes and as tribute. The silk carried on the Silk Road came in the form of rolls of raw silk, dyed rolls, cloth, tapestries, embroideries, carpets and clothes.
Why did China keep silk a secret?
Keeping Silk a Secret Silk became a prized export for the Chinese. Nobles and kings of foreign lands desired silk and would pay high prices for the cloth. The emperors of China wanted to keep the process for making silk a secret. Anyone caught telling the secret or taking silkworms out of China was put to death.
Why is silk important to Chinese people?
Silk was a symbol of wealth and power in ancient China, because only the rich and those in authority were allowed to wear silk garments, while poor people were prevented from wearing it. Then poor people wore clothes of hemp or ramie, which are nettle-like plants. But, eventually, ordinary people started wearing silk.
Why was silk such a desired good for trade and exchange?
One obvious effect of trade along the Silk Road was more goods were available in more places. Silk, owing to its soft texture and appealing shimmer, became so hotly desired that it was used as currency in central Asia.
How did silk become an international currency as well as a luxury product in Han China?
Silk as currency Apart from some of silk's uses in garments, home furnishings and upholstery, another use which is elusive for most, is that silk was used as currency during the Tang dynasty. In 202 BC the Han dynasty launched the Silk Road and established trade routes into Central Asia and further afield.
When was silk made in ancient China?
4th millennium BCA Brief History of Silk The production of silk originates in China in the Neolithic (Yangshao culture, 4th millennium BC). Silk remained confined to China until the Silk Road opened at some point during the later half of the first millennium BC.
Where does silk come from in China?
Silk is mainly produced in the south of the Yangtze River Delta. Renowned silk producing regions are Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces. Cities such as Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Shaoxing are well known for their silk industries.
How much silk does China produce?
China produces about 150,000 metric tons annually. This is much more than the rest of the world combined producing 78% of the world's silk. Only India has a comparably large industry that produces about 30,000 metric tons.
Which country produces the most silk?
China Is the World's Foremost Silk Producer. China produces about 150,000 metric tons annually. This is much more than the rest of the world combined producing 78% of the world's silk. Only India has a comparably large industry that produces about 30,000 metric tons.
What did Huangdi teach her people?
Thus, an industry was born. She taught her people how to raise silkworms and later invented the loom.
How long does it take for silkworms to die?
After eight or nine days, the silkworms (actually caterpillars changing into moths) are killed. The cocoons are lowered into hot water to loosen up the tight protective filaments that are then unraveled, wound onto a spool, and later spun into thread.
How many eggs do silk moths lay?
Silk moths lay around 500 eggs during their lifespan of four to six days. After the eggs hatch, the caterpillars are fed a diet of mulberry leaves in a controlled environment. Their body weight increases substantially.
What is silk factory?
A silk factory. Quality silk is soft and glossy with clear and symmetrical colors. The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre. It refracts incoming light at different angles and so produces different colors. Silk is strong, but it isn't elastic.
What was silk used for?
Common people were prohibited from wearing silk. Silk was also used for a number of other applications including luxury writing material.
How long did the Chinese keep silk secret?
Anyone caught telling the secret or taking silkworms out of China was put to death. The Chinese managed to keep silk a secret for over 1000 years . However, in 550 AD the secret of silk became known to other countries when two monks from the Byzantine Empire managed to smuggle some silkworm eggs out of the country.
What are some interesting facts about silk?
Interesting Facts about Silk 1 It wasn't until the Qing dynasty, which ruled from 1644 to 1911, that peasants were allowed to wear silk clothing. 2 Silk was used for other purposes than clothing such a paper, fishing lines, bowstrings, and canvas for painting. 3 Around the thirteenth century, Italy became one of the major producers of silk. Some of the finest silk in the world is made in Italy today. 4 Silk clothing was often embroidered with designs. The most popular designs were of flowers and birds. 5 Silk was such an important product from China that the trade route from Europe to China became known as the Silk Road.
What was the cocoon made of?
A cocoon fell into her tea and unraveled. She noticed that the cocoon was actually made from a long thread that was both strong and soft. Leizu then discovered how to combine the silk fibers into a thread. She also invented the silk loom that combined the threads into a soft cloth.
What was the most popular design in the Silk Road?
Silk clothing was often embroidered with designs. The most popular designs were of flowers and birds. Silk was such an important product from China that the trade route from Europe to China became known as the Silk Road.
Why did ancient Chinese bred special moths?
The ancient Chinese bred special moths to produce the quality silk they wanted. Here are the steps in the process for making silk:
When was silk cloth invented?
Legend has it that the process for making silk cloth was first invented by the wife of the Yellow Emperor, Leizu, around the year 2696 BC.
When did peasants wear silk?
It wasn't until the Qing dynasty, which ruled from 1644 to 1911, that peasants were allowed to wear silk clothing.
Where is Lin Hui's silk factory?
Just outside of Hangzhou, Lin Hui -- or "Eric," as he's known -- manages his family-owned silk company, TL Silk. The factory runs 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, producing nearly 1 million meters of silk each year -- selling as far away as the U.S. and Europe. "Silk is a tradition for Chinese people," said 28-year-old Eric.
Which country produces the most opulent thread?
China, the country credited with bringing this seductive material to the world, is still its biggest producer -- making some 800,000 tons of the opulent thread each year.
What are silkworms called?
Once found in the wild, now the caterpillars -- called silkworms -- are mostly farmed.
Where are silkworms found?
One farmer, 67-year-old Ding Xianquing, has raised silkworms all his life, feeding them several times a day in his one-room farmhouse. China is the birthplace of silk. Courtesy Kelly McCarthy.
Is silk a luxury?
Keeping the ancient art of Chinese silk-making alive. (CNN) — It's a luxury that has been sought by emperors and citizens alike -- a commodity that connected the world and launched global commerce on an unprecedented scale. Thousands of years later, our desire for silk is no less intense.
When was silk made?
In the middle of the sixth century, the Byzantine emperor sent some monks eastward to learn the secrets of silk and silk making. They carried back with them precious silkworm eggs. From these eggs descended the countless millions of silkworms that have since spread throughout Europe. Today, most European silk is made in Italy and France.
Which is the oldest invention in China?
Of all Chinese inventions, silk (絲 sī) is perhaps the oldest. (Image via pixabay / CC0 1.0) Of all Chinese inventions, the history of silk (絲 sī) is perhaps the oldest. Traces of silk fabric have been found among remains from around 1300 B.C. The use of silk in China possibly goes back even much earlier. It’s said that until the second century ...
Why is silk important to the Silk Road?
Because of its high value and lightweight, silk was the ideal product for caravans making the extremely long journey. Much silk was transported over this route. Hence, it became known as the Silk Road (絲路 Sī lù). In return for the silk, the Roman Empire sent China precious stones, wool, asbestos, and glass.
Where did the Silk Road begin?
It crossed Turkmenistan (土庫曼 Tǔkùmàn), passed through Persia, and reached the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Well before the birth of Jesus, these garrisons became the beginning of a trade route that linked China to the West — thus, the Silk Road was born. (Image: wikimedia / CC0 1.0)
What did Zhang's experience give the Chinese?
Though Zhang’s diplomatic mission was a failure, his experiences gave the Chinese their first accurate knowledge of the expanses of Central Asia, and with that experience, years later, the Chinese launched a series of military campaigns to break the power of the Huns, and brought Central Asia under Chinese rule.
Who wrote the Chinese Encyclopedia?
A Chinese encyclopedia written in the 16th century describes ancient Chinese technology. This great work of literature was written by cosmologist Song Yingxing (宋應星), who presented readers with many wonderful and superb ancient Chinese inventions!
What was the mission of Zhang Qian?
The mission sought to cross the arid wastes of Central Asia (西亞 Xīyǎ) to find and make an alliance with a certain friendly tribe there, who could be an ally to help defeat the Huns. But soon after leaving China, Zhang Qian and his men were captured by those very Huns and held as prisoners.
