Silk - Inventions and Technology - Ancient China

Chinese Life and Culture


China boasts such a rich history that its culture is infinitely complex
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Ancient China Homepage

The Land of China

Geography

Major Chinese Cities

Section 1.3

Section 1.4

Section 1.5

Section 1.6

Section 1.7

Section 1.8

Section 1.9

Section 1.10

Section 1.11

Section 1.12

Section 1.13

Section 1.14

Section 1.15

Dynasties

Shang Dynasty

Zhou Dynasty

Qin Dynasty

Han Dynasty

Section 2.5

Section 2.6

Section 2.7

Section 2.8

Section 2.9

Section 2.10

Section 2.11

Section 2.12

Section 2.13

Section 2.14

Section 2.15

Inventions & Technology

Pottery & Porcelain

Silk

Compass

Paper & Printing

Gunpowder

Section 3.6

Section 3.7

Section 3.8

Section 3.9

Section 3.10

Section 3.11

Section 3.12

Section 3.13

Section 3.14

Section 3.15

Famous Chinese Figures

Emperor Qin Shi Huang

Sun Tzu

Empress Wu Zetian

Zheng He

Aixinjueluo Puyi

Section 4.6

Section 4.7

Section 4.8

Section 4.9

Section 4.10

Section 4.11

Section 4.12

Section 4.13

Section 4.14

Section 4.15

Famous Chinese Landmarks

The Great Wall of China

The Terracotta Army

The Forbidden City

The Three Gorges Dam

Beijing's Olympic Marvels

Section 5.6

Section 5.7

Section 5.8

Section 5.9

Section 5.10

Section 5.11

Section 5.12

Section 5.13

Section 5.14

Section 5.15

Chinese Life & Culture

Chinese Horoscope

Chinese Calendar

Section 6.3

Section 6.4

Section 6.5

Section 6.6

Section 6.7

Section 6.8

Section 6.9

Section 6.10

Section 6.11

Section 6.12

Section 6.13

Section 6.14

Section 6.15

Religion & Philosophy

Confucianism

Buddhism

Taoism

Section 7.4

Section 7.5

Section 7.6

Section 7.7

Section 7.8

Section 7.9

Section 7.10

Section 7.11

Section 7.12

Section 7.13

Section 7.14

Section 7.15

Timeline

Section 8.1

Section 8.2

Section 8.3

Section 8.4

Section 8.5

Section 8.6

Section 8.7

Section 8.8

Section 8.9

Section 8.10

Section 8.11

Section 8.12

Section 8.13

Section 8.14

Section 8.15

Section 9

Section 9.1

Section 9.2

Section 9.3

Section 9.4

Section 9.5

Section 9.6

Section 9.7

Section 9.8

Section 9.9

Section 9.10

Section 9.11

Section 9.12

Section 9.13

Section 9.14

Section 9.15

Section 10

Section 10.1

Section 10.2

Section 10.3

Section 10.4

Section 10.5

Section 10.6

Section 10.7

Section 10.8

Section 10.9

Section 10.10

Section 10.11

Section 10.12

Section 10.13

Section 10.14

Section 10.15

Section 11

Section 11.1

Section 11.2

Section 11.3

Section 11.4

Section 11.5

Section 11.6

Section 11.7

Section 11.8

Section 11.9

Section 11.10

Section 11.11

Section 11.12

Section 11.13

Section 11.14

Section 11.15

Section 12

Section 12.1

Section 12.2

Section 12.3

Section 12.4

Section 12.5

Section 12.6

Section 12.7

Section 12.8

Section 12.9

Section 12.10

Section 12.11

Section 12.12

Section 12.13

Section 12.14

Section 12.15

Section 13

Section 13.1

Section 13.2

Section 13.3

Section 13.4

Section 13.5

Section 13.6

Section 13.7

Section 13.8

Section 13.9

Section 13.10

Section 13.11

Section 13.12

Section 13.13

Section 13.14

Section 13.15

Section 14

Section 14.1

Section 14.2

Section 14.3

Section 14.4

Section 14.5

Section 14.6

Section 14.7

Section 14.8

Section 14.9

Section 14.10

Section 14.11

Section 14.12

Section 14.13

Section 14.14

Section 14.15

Section 15

Section 15.1

Section 15.2

Section 15.3

Section 15.4

Section 15.5

Section 15.6

Section 15.7

Section 15.8

Section 15.9

Section 15.10

Section 15.11

Section 15.12

Section 15.13

Section 15.14

Section 15.15

Inventions and technology

Silk

Ever wondered why silk has a shimmering appearance? It comes from the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows it to refract light.

It is believed that the Chinese first started making silk around 2,700BC. Legend has it that Empress Si Ling Chi discovered silk when a silkworm moth cocoon fell from a mulberry tree into her tea. After some experiment, she finally managed to weave the silk filament into a piece of fabric.

The process of making silk weaving is still the same today. Known as sericulture, the cocoons are placed in hot water to release the silk filaments and kill the silkworm larvae. The filaments are combined to form yarn, wound and finally dried. Each cocoon can yield around 500 to 1,200 yards of silk.

Silk was considered China’s most valuable trade commodity, resulting in the famous Silk Road trading route. Silk making was a closely-guarded government secret until AD300 when it was leaked out to India.

Photos: AAA Collection