Sichouranzhijiyi
01 · Historical Records
By the late Qing dynasty, Zhoucun had developed into the center of the silk industry in Shandong.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Zhoucun silk dyeing and weaving technique is one of the representatives of China's traditional silk dyeing and weaving techniques; it is distributed mainly in Zhoucun District, Zibo City, Shandong Province, and its surrounding areas, radiated during its development to most of Zibo City, and continuously expanded to other cities and counties within Shandong Province. Zhoucun lies in central Shandong Province with convenient transport; its geographical environment, soil structure, and climatic conditions suit the growth of mulberry trees, so that mulberry planting and silkworm raising also developed there. In particular, the silk cocoons produced on both banks of the Xiaofu River are large, thick-skinned, and of good fiber and superior quality, which brought convenience to the development of the Zhoucun silk dyeing and weaving technique. The Zhoucun silk weaving and dyeing technique consists mainly of three parts: silk reeling, silk weaving, and printing and dyeing. The first is silk reeling. Cocoons of the current year's spring crop are selected and blended according to 3 to 4 zhuangkuo (lots); uniformly sized white round cocoons are chosen for cocoon stripping and sorting, and after being boiled at high temperature in a cage they are poured into a wooden tub, entering the silk-reeling stage. After reeling, the silk passes through process steps such as soaking, silk turning, and silk winding; on the spinning rack the silk twister arranges the silk and twists it into a rope shape, and after the cleanliness and evenness of the silk are inspected, it is weighed and packed. Then comes silk weaving. The selected raw materials are soaked with auxiliaries, antistatic oil, and softening agents to make the silk smooth and full. Then the silk is wound, doubled, twisted, set, warped, quill-wound, and mounted on the loom for weaving. Some dyed-yarn woven products require the warp or weft threads to be dyed first before being mounted on the loom, and various silk products are woven according to the design requirements and plans for the product. Only after passing inspection can the final printing and dyeing be carried out. Products made with the Zhoucun silk dyeing and weaving technique are characterized by generous patterns, bright colors, tough texture, dense structure, a full hand, and good elasticity. The Zhoucun silk dyeing and weaving technique has a long history. By the Han dynasty, Zhoucun had become one of the important sources of the Three Clothing Officials (Sanfu Guan) responsible for processing silk fabrics. In modern times, the silk-weaving industry in the Zhoucun area developed rapidly. The Zhoucun silk weaving and dyeing technique is transmitted from generation to generation mainly through master-apprentice and family instruction, and its clearly documented transmission lineage has reached seven generations. At present, the Zhoucun silk dyeing and weaving technique is developing well and plays a positive role in promoting rural revitalization and sustainable economic and social development.
Archival Records of Process Steps
After silk reeling, the silk passes through process steps such as soaking, silk turning, and silk winding; on the spinning rack the silk twister arranges the silk and twists it into a rope shape, and after the cleanliness and evenness of the silk are inspected, it is weighed and packed.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Zhoucun silk dyeing and weaving technique is centered on Zhoucun District, Zibo, Shandong, spreading in tracts along the silkworm villages on both banks of the Xiaofu River, and it also diffused by trade routes to other cities and counties within the province. Spring cocoons are blended from three or four lots, and uniformly sized white round cocoons are picked out and stripped, boiled at high temperature in a cage, and then turned, wound, and weighed. Dyed-yarn woven products require the warp or weft to be dyed before being mounted on the loom; transmission relies on masters and apprentices and on families, and the lineage has reached seven generations.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Today, Zhoucun has become one of the country's 12 silk export production bases; the varieties of silk produced number more than 80, and they are sold to more than 30 countries and regions. The Zhoucun silk dyeing and weaving technique is closely bound up with local politics, economy, culture, and people's way of life; it has witnessed the development of social life and the changes in dress style in the Zibo region, and has important reference value for the study of the historical development of Shandong silk.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript; it mirrors the bilingual dossier. 阅读中文版，或返回 英文名录。