The history of the Sichuan Brocade

Sichuan brocade is one of the top four famous brocades in China. The other three different brocades include the Yu Brocade from Nanjing, the Song Brocade from Suzhou and the Zhuang Brocade from Guangxi Autonomous Region.

Sichuan is one of the first areas to start semi-culture. As early as the fourth century BC, local people were able to produce a kind of plain silk cloth. During the Han Dynasty, the brocade made in Sichuan was named the Sichuan brocade. Towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty a device was invented to weave raised designs on fine silk. This technique greatly improved manufacture of silk products that became important articles of tribute to the imperial court at that time.

In 214 Liu Bei and his troop entered into Sichuan, replacing Liu Zhang, former governor appointed by the Han Emperor. In order to reward his assistants and generals Liu Bei offered them each 1000 bolts of the Sichuan Brocade from the local official storage. Durin the Three Kingdom Period, Zhu Geliang, a renowned statesman of the Shu State placed agriculture and sericulture on the top lists of the state development. Zhu said in his memorial to the throne:“决敌之资， 唯仰锦耳”, which means the brocade is only the financial support to our decisive battle with animal designs in pairs, including pheasant games, playing sheep, flying phoenix and other animals. At that time only high officials and noble lords could afford to enjoy the use of the brocade. Furthermore, because the ancient businessmen traveled along the Silk Road, the brocade was therefore sold in Ventral Asia, the Mediterranean areas and Europe. The brocade was also sold in Japan, where local Japanese named it as Shujiangfan( Sichuan river brocade). At the present time, the Japanese temples by the name of Shyosoin store the remnants of Shujiangxiaofan (a small flag on the Sichuan river, and Shujiangtaiziyujuansan ( Sichuan crown prince’s silk umblella ).

In the Northern Song Dynasty the brocade industry advanced into large-scale workshops. For example , the Chengdu Brocade Workshop had 154 looms and 500 workers, who were divided into groups. Each group had different jobs, some weaved silk yarns and others dyed the fabrics.

The variety and Feature of the Sichuan Brocade

Sichuan brocade has lasted over 2,000 years with several hundred patterns in use. Some patterns are so popular that they are taken as pattern models among the other three different brocades. In Southwest China some ethnic nationalities especially enjoy having brocade qprons and headscarves. The current brocade fabrics are mainly used for quilt covers, clothes and other decorative purposes. Some fashionable patterns are listed below:

1.       Fang Fang Brocade( the check-patterned brocade)

First of all, looms weaves a single-colored brocade bottom. Secondly on the bottom colorful warp and weft silk threads weave check-shaped patterns. Finally a flower is added into each check by looms.

2.       Yue Hua Brocade (the moonlight brocade)  groups of colorful warp and weft silk threads named patterns that visually transform from light to dark colors. Then decorative patterns are added to display the highly skills of tow-to-thread spinning.

3.       Huan Hua Brocade (the fallen flower and flowing river). Plum, peach and other flowers are formed on brocade fabrics to show agreeable scenery with fallen flower and flowing river.

4.       Pu Di Brocade. Pu Di Brocade means adding more flowers to the brocade fabrics. First of all, the brocade bottom is woven into geometric figures and small flower patterns. The figures and small flowers are added to support large flowers for their splendor.

Besides some other patterns deserve commendation. They are San Hua Brocade, which means the brocade is full of a hundred flowers; Dui Hua Brocade, which means the brocade flowers have the same number of parts exhibiting regular patten; Min Zu Brocade, which means the supply of the brocade is suitable for ethnic nationalities in the local areas.

At present the Sichuan brocade sells at home and abroad. The brocade manufacture is under automatic control, and a jacquard loom is equipped with electronic facilities.