FOREWORD
Well-irrigated Jiangsu (江苏, Jiāngsū) spills over with as much charm and history as the waters that flow through its shimmering canals. The province owed its thousand years’ historical wealth to silk weaving, dyeing and embroidery, which are outstanding representatives of Jiangsu’s intangible cultural heritage. It’s known throughout China for the ingenious interweaving of warp and weft, the exquisite decoration of dyeing and printing, and the beautiful embroidery painting with needles instead of brushes, which have created countless art treasures.
In collaboration with Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, we are excited to launch this online exhibition, featuring 21 representative items of intangible cultural heritage including Cloud Brocade, Suzhou Kesi Brocade, Song Brocade, Suzhou Embroidery, Nantong blue calico printing and dyeing skills, and Xuzhou Sachets. These exhibits not only showcase the essence of Jiangsu’s intangible cultural heritage, but also reflect the achievements of Jiangsu in protecting intangible cultural heritage and promoting the development of Chinese traditional culture.
With exquisite materials, fine weavers and elegant patterns, Cloud Brocade is named for it’s gorgeous like clouds in the sky. In 2009, Cloud Brocade weaving technique was listed in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. To showcase the charm of this amazing traditional skill, this exhibition is also introducing the Cloud Brocade dress show by the famous Chinese designer Lawrence Xu. The show combined brocades as well as mountains, rivers, cities and forests in Nanjing with the traditional Chinese cultural and art, which perfectly illustrated the classic fashion of China.
Start a cultural journey with us, enjoy these incredible ancient treasures as well as the Cloud Brocade fashion show!
织
Weaving Techniques
蚕桑丝织技艺包括栽桑、养蚕、缫丝、染色和丝织等整个过程的生产技艺、其间所用到的各种巧妙精到的工具和织机，以及这一过程中衍生出来的相关民俗活动。其产品包括宋锦、云锦、缂丝、漳缎、吴罗、纱罗、雷沟大布、南通色织土布、震泽蚕丝被、镇江雕花天鹅绒、勾针线编等丝绸品和棉纺品。2009年，中国传统桑蚕丝织技艺被列入联合国教科文组织“人类非物质文化遗产”代表作名录。
Sericulture and silk weaving include the production techniques of mulberry planting, sericulture, silk reeling, dyeing and silk weaving, various ingenious tools and looms used in the process, and related folklore activities derived from this process. The sericulture products include Song Brocade, Yun Brocade, Kesi, Zhang Satin, Wu Luo, Leno, Leigou Dabu, Nantong Yarn-dyed Homespun, Zhenze Silk Quilt, Velvet, Crochet and other silk and cotton textiles. In 2010, Chinese traditional mulberry silk weaving skills were included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
绣
Embroidery Techniques
苏绣是以苏州为中心的江苏地区刺绣技艺的总称，为中国四大名绣之一，其历史悠久，可追溯至西汉时期。到了明代，苏绣形成了“精细雅洁”的艺术风格；至清代，苏州被称为“绣市”。除苏州刺绣以外，无锡精微绣、常州乱针绣、扬州刺绣、东台发绣和徐州香包、绣花鞋等民间绣活，各有特色。在长期的传承发展中，苏绣形成了独特的技艺术语和一套完整的绣法技艺体系，分为六种门类、九大类四十多种针法。2006年，苏绣被列入第一批“家级非物质文化遗产”国代表性项目名录。
Suzhou Embroidery, one of the four famous embroidery genres in China, is the general term referring to the embroidery skills in Jiangsu area with Suzhou as the center. Suzhou Embroidery has a long history, dating back to the Western Han Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, Suzhou was called the “City of Embroidery”. In addition to Suzhou Embroidery, Wuxi Fine Embroidery, Changzhou Random Needle Embroidery, Yangzhou Embroidery, Dongtai Hair Embroidery, Xuzhou sachets, embroidered shoes and other folk embroidery have their own characteristics. In the course of inheritance and development, Suzhou Embroidery has formed a unique technique and artistic language and a complete embroidery technique system. In 2006, it was included in the first batch of the National Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
染
Dyeing Techniques
南通被称为蓝染之乡、土布之乡。江苏印染技艺主要是指南通扎染技艺和蓝印花布。
南通扎染的原料主要是丝绸，因此也称为“扎绸”。工序精细，耗工耗时，加之原料丝绸成本甚高，故价格昂贵，旧时为宫廷和贵族所享。扎染源于秦汉，盛于唐，并随“丝绸之路”传入南亚、东亚的印度、印尼、朝鲜半岛及日本等国。
相对扎染，蓝印花布较为“年轻”，但距今也已有八百余年的历史。艺人们以中国传统花卉、植物造型，人物、动物造型以及几何纹样和书法文字等，经过巧妙的构思，组合在一幅蓝印花布作品中，并运用象征、谐音、借比等手法，表达丰富多样的内容和吉祥喜庆的寓意；加之耐脏耐磨、结实耐用，蓝印花布成为近代坊间十分流行的手工艺产品。
Suzhou Embroidery, one of the four famous embroidery genres in China, is the general term referring to the embroidery skills in Jiangsu area with Suzhou as the center. Suzhou Embroidery has a long history, dating back to the Western Han Dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, Suzhou was called the “City of Embroidery”. In addition to Suzhou Embroidery, Wuxi Fine Embroidery, Changzhou Random Needle Embroidery, Yangzhou Embroidery, Dongtai Hair Embroidery, Xuzhou sachets, embroidered shoes and other folk embroidery have their own characteristics. In the course of inheritance and development, Suzhou Embroidery has formed a unique technique and artistic language and a complete embroidery technique system. In 2006, it was included in the first batch of the National Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
