SONG BROCADE CRAFT
Aug.24,2024
Chinese Song Brocade is a traditional silk handicraft with a long history and profound cultural significance, often referred to as the "crown of brocade."
Song Brocade originated in the Spring and Autumn Period, was developed during the Song Dynasty, and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, boasting a history of over a thousand years. Its roots can be traced back to the State of Wu during the Spring and Autumn Period, when Wu nobles in the southern Yangtze River region extensively used brocade in their daily lives. By the Song Dynasty, particularly during the Southern Song Dynasty, Song Brocade had reached its peak. The imperial court established the Song Brocade Weaving Bureau in Suzhou, specializing in producing brocade that featured patterns similar to those of Shu Brocade but with even more exquisite and delicate craftsmanship. This brocade, known as Suzhou Song Brocade, was used for imperial court attire and for mounting books and paintings. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the craft of Song Brocade reached its pinnacle. With growing demand from the imperial court, both official and private production and sales of silk products were substantial.
The craftsmanship of Song Brocade is complex and refined, with its main characteristic being that both warp and weft threads display patterns simultaneously. It uses a structural organization where both warp and weft threads jointly create patterns, utilizing a unique technique of color changes during weaving. This enhances the richness of the surface color threads and fabric layers. The weaving generally follows a "three-end twill structure," with two warp threads and three weft threads. The warp threads consist of ground warp threads and pattern warp threads. The ground warp threads are colored, boiled silk used for the background, while the pattern warp threads are raw silk of the base color, used as tie-up threads for the weft. The weft threads are dyed in various colors and are changed in segments during weaving. Natural dyes are used for coloring, and silk must be dyed according to the pattern design before weaving begins. The selection of dyes is strict, mostly using plant-based dyes, with some mineral dyes, all applied manually.
Song Brocade has a unique artistic style, featuring geometric frameworks filled with natural floral patterns, auspicious symbols, and other motifs. These designs, combined with harmonious background colors and contrasting main patterns, create a vibrant yet elegant, antique yet refined aesthetic. The patterns of Song Brocade typically use geometric motifs as a framework, filled with symbols like flowers, auspicious plants, or motifs such as the Eight Treasures, Eight Immortals, and Eight Auspicious Symbols. The colors generally feature harmonious tones, with minimal use of contrasting colors, resulting in an elegant and cohesive overall appearance. Depending on the fabric’s structure, craftsmanship level, material quality, fabric thickness, and performance, Song Brocade can be classified into four major categories: Heavy Brocade, Fine Brocade, Box Brocade, and Small Brocade.
The Song Brocade weaving craft has experienced numerous ups and downs throughout its history. In 2006, the Song Brocade weaving craft was listed in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2009, it was also included in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List. In recent years, with the revival of traditional culture and the integration of modern design concepts, Song Brocade has been widely used and promoted in clothing, home decoration, handicrafts, and other fields.