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 Silk is a
natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The
best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons made by the larvae of the
mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity. Manually it is not possible
to make. We are able to touch and perceive its texture only.
Silk fabric
was first developed in ancient China, possibly as early as 6000 BC and
definitely by 3000 BC. Legend gives credit for developing silk to a Chinese
empress, Xi Ling-Shi (Hsi-Ling-Shih, Lei-tzu).
When
Lei-tzu moved to her husband from the South-West part of the country, she shared
with him of the secret of silkworm growth.
She taught
people to culture silkworms, lose cocoons and provide clothes. As the history
says, silk rapidly became a popular luxury fabric in the many areas accessible
to Chinese merchants because of its texture and luster. The legend is confirmed
by archeological works in Hubei and Hunan where 152 silk items were dug out and
35 garments out of them were in excellent condition. That certifies that
silkworm breeding was practiced approximately 20 centuries B.C., yet silk
manufacture was one of the developed spheres since the discovered pieces were
of the same age!
Silks were
originally reserved for the Kings of China for their own use and gifts to
others, but spread gradually through Chinese culture and trade both
geographically and socially, and then to many regions of Asia. During Warring
States Period (475 - 221 B.C.) silk items became affordable to wide public.
Various techniques in regards to silk spinning, embroidery, and fabric dying
were of great popularity. Within the reign of Han Dynasty silk production
flourished mostly, yet, the quality of dug out silk elements was of high
appraise. And the bright and crafty embroidery onto the fabric excelled.
More than
20 centuries ago the Emperor Wu detached his messenger to the West with the
purpose to blaze the trail for caravan of silk. This enabled the first opening
of trading connections between China and the West, the Silk Road.
Nobody
doubted that the secret of silk manufacture was strongly kept by the Chinese. And
this secrecy gave birth to a plenty of idle talks on silk origin. They supposed
that silk grows in the silk tree, and that it is recrement of big animals with
enormous horns or that it is down of special birds. Moreover, mulberry leaves
and silkworm larva smugglers were subject to painful death under the Chinese
law. Nevertheless, avidity for gain told since silk was highly valued, the
price was pound of silk for pound of gold.
Eventually,
in the fifth century silk was exported to other countries from China and silk
production was initiated in several countries at the same time. As the legend
says a cunning Indian rajah sought in marriage to the Chinese princess and
required silkworm larva as dowry. And the princess managed to bring the
silkworm larva and mulberry seeds just in her high wedding hairdo.
In
Mediterranean countries the silk manufacture won popularity at the time when
first silkworm eggs were arrived into Constantinople from China. The goodwill
pilgrims were monks who hid the larva in their crooks.
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