Suzhou Silk Museum
Suzhou, in Jiangsu Province, is not only a famous cultural
city and a city of gardens, but also the silk capital of
China. During the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279)
dynasties, it was the silk producing center; in the Ming
(1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties most of the
high-grade silk produced for the royal families was made by
Suzhou silk weavers. The Suzhou Silk Museum is located in
this famous city, which people call 'Paradise on Earth'.
The entire museum design is dignified and elegant - yet
unconventional - combining a sense of ancient civilization
with modern style. The Suzhou Silk Museum is divided into
several parts: the Introductory Hall, the Ancient Exhibit
Hall, the Silkworm-Rearing Room, the Silk Weaving Workshop,
the Neoteric (1840 - 1919) Exhibit Hall, and the Modern
(1919 - 1949) Exhibit Hall. There are also retail stores
for purchasing silk.
The dominant color of Suzhou Silk Museum is white, which
represents the purity of silk. Strolling through the gate
of the museum, you can see a long and elegant wall running
from south to north, crossing an east-to-west road
symbolizing the Silk Road. The wall curves at the entrance,
symbolizing the softness and elegance of the silk. In front
of the wall, there are three tall sculptures made of white
marble. The first shows a girl picking mulberry leaves (the
silkworm's favorite food); the second, a girl washing the
raw silk fabric; the third, a girl weaving. The three
sculptures give the whole museum a dynamic beauty,
imparting a sense of freshness to the style of both the
construction and the decoration. A tower-shaped roof on the
main building of the museum reminds people of the exotic
flavor of the Silk Road.
Entering the Introductory Hall, the glorious history of
silk catches your eyes first. In the center of the hall
there is a stone wall on which four Chinese characters are
carved. The characters are modeled on the inscriptions on
bones or tortoise shells of the Shang Dynasty (16th -11th
century BC). These four characters give a summary of all
the exhibits of the museum. On the left side of the hall, a
huge stone fresco vividly describes the evolution and
scientific achievements of silk development in ancient
China. A statue of a beautiful woman stands close to this
fresco. She is dressed in the ancient costume with a cocoon
held in both of her hands. The expression in her eyes seems
to tell people that she is thinking deeply. This is the
legendary woman in Chinese history and fairytales: Lei Zu,
wife of Huangdi , the first person who raised silkworms. On
the right side of the wall, a group of large and vivid
sculptures depict a camel caravan crossing a vast desert.
It is reminiscent of the Silk Road, the road on which the
earliest Eastern and Western exchanges took place. Looking
up, countless milk-white transparent lights in cocoon-shape
remind you of the world of ancient silkworm cultivation.
In the Ancient Exhibit Hall, the exhibits present the long
history of silk in the form of precious silk relics, models
and pictures from its origin in the late period of the
Neolithic Age to its production in the Ming and Qing
dynasties. It is not exaggerating to say that the exhibits
in this hall are a concentrated history of Chinese silk in
ancient times.
Everyone knows that silk, silkworms, and the mulberry bush
are closely related. The Silkworm-Rearing Room in the
Suzhou Silk Museum replicates conditions during the late
Qing dynasty. You will enjoy the relaxing feeling of a
simpler time. Here you will see thousands of silkworms all
eating their favorite food, mulberry leaves. It is a
memorable experience that will stay in your mind forever.
Walking into the Silk-Weaving Workshop is like entering
another world. A variety of ancient looms demonstrate
traditional silk weaving technology, and offers you a rare
chance to feel the grandeur of the Suzhou silk industry of
centuries ago. Weaving girls in ancient costumes
demonstrate the working procedures on the spot. They
produce various silk products such as cloud brocades, green
silk and velvet. You'll be surprised at what you see.
In the Neoteric (1840 - 1919) and Modern (1919 - 1949)
Exhibit Halls, you can get an overview of the exquisite
craftsmanship of Suzhou silk. You'll see a variety of
exhibits featuring silk clothes, silk products that have
received international awards, skillful craftsmen, famous
people in the silk field, the development of the Suzhou
silk industry, and the history of the Silk Road.
In the Suzhou Silk Museum you will also find a 'Ming and
Qing Street' lined with replicas of time-honored silk
stores. Its traditional Suzhou flavor will make a deep and
unforgettable impression on you. You can't visit these
stores without wanting to buy something!
Whenever you come to Suzhou-the Paradise on Earth--please
don't miss the Suzhou Silk Museum. It will not disappoint
you!
content from Travel China Guide