Every Chinese textile tells a story, and this book tells many stories of Chinese life and legend through the sumptuous textiles that adorn its pages. Breathtaking in workmanship, colour and design, they were made for a purpose, and it is those created for celebrations that dominate the selection in this book. As well as dealing with technique and influence, Wilson tells the story of each piece - why it was made and for whom - and introduces us to a galaxy of characters from China's history and legend. The superb photography allows us to see how richly these textiles reflect the culture from which they come.

An excellent introduction to the study of Chinese textiles, this volume was originally written as a handbook to accompany a special exhibit of Chinese court robes and accessories presented by the Museum in December, 1931. In addition to providing an historical background information essential to understanding these beautiful objects, specific examples from the Met's collection are discussed in detail.

A comprehensive guide to collectible Chinese textiles shown in over 500 color photos, with an understandable grading system to aid in establishing value. This beautifully illustrated book is designed for all historians, Asian study scholars, and textile collectors, from beginning to advanced. It is a real-world representation of court robes, badges and decorative textiles and a must for appraisers and connoisseurs alike.

The first comprehensive history of China's most luxurious textile and its enduring influence on Chinese civilization and art Over the past fifty years, archaeological explorations in China have unearthed a wealth of textile materials, some dating as far back as five thousand years. In this magnificently researched and illustrated book, preeminent Western and Chinese scholars draw upon these spectacular discoveries to provide the most thorough account of the history of silk ever written. Encyclopedic in breadth, the volume presents a chronological history of silk from a variety of perspectives, including archaeological, technological, art historical, and aesthetic. The contributors explore the range of uses for silk, from the everyday to the sublime. By directly connecting recently found textile artifacts to specific references in China's vast historical literature, they illuminate the evolution of silk making and the driving social forces that have inspired the creation of innovative textiles through the millennia. Published in association with the Foreign Languages Press, Beijing

Recent archaeological excavations in the People's Republic of China have brought to light a wealth of early textiles, many in remarkably good condition, causing scholars to reassess the history of Chinese textile technology and design.

The material presented in this volume significantly extends what has been known to date of Asian textiles produced from the Tang (618-907) through the early Ming period (late 14th-early 15th century), and new documentation gives full recognition to the importance of luxury textiles in the history of Asian art. Costly silks and embroideries were the primary vehicle for the migration of motifs and styles from one part of Asia to another, particularly during the Tang and Mongol (1207-1368) periods. In addition, they provide material evidence of both the cultural and religious ties that linked ethnic groups and the impetus to artistic creativity that was inspired by exposure to foreign goods.

The aim of this book is to track the historical origins of China’s economic reforms. From the 1920s and 1930s strong ties were built between Chinese textile industrialists and foreign machinery importers in Shanghai and the Yangzi Delta. Despite the fragmentation of China, the contribution of these networks to the modernization of the country was important and longstanding. Facing the challenge of growing in a fragmented country, Chinese textile firms such as Dafeng, Dacheng and Lixin focused on urban markets and also on importing technology for upgrading their production. When the war against Japan blocked trade routes inside China, these networks were concentrated in Shanghai where they envisaged an export-oriented development strategy for China that was based on importing machinery and exporting manufactured products. However, this strategy was only implemented precariously in Shanghai, while the city stood as a neutral space in the first years of the Japanese occupation, but was only consolidated in Hong Kong in the late 1940s, where textile industrialist and most of the foreign importers migrated. These networks were thus reestablished in Hong Kong, where they contributed to the city's industrialization in the Cold War period. Meanwhile, the Chinese industrialists that stayed in Shanghai and the Yangzi Delta had to adapt to the Maoist regime and were progressively incorporated into the state-owned companies or the local government agencies such as the United Front or the Textile bureaus. However, from the early 1970s, the links between Hong Kong and Shanghai were reactivated and these networks played, again, a key role in the modernization of China, especially regarding the imports of technology and exports of manufactured goods. The book ends with the first joint-ventures between Hong Kong businessmen and Chinese local administrations that took place in the beginnings of China's economic reforms in 1979.

Deep in the north woods of Minnesota, Paul Two Persons is struggling to keep his resort lodge afloat. He has lent money to his childhood friend, Al, and needs it back fast before the bank forecloses on his business.When Al turns up missing -- and then dead of an apparent suicide -- Paul is propelled into a labyrinth of intrigue that leads to some ugly discoveries. There is corruption within his own Tribal Council, developers' plans for the land that Paul has fought so hard to keep, and the "accidental death" of his eight-year-old son that now seems something more sinister.Haunted by these demons, growing increasingly distant from his grieving wife, and facing the very real threat of losing his livelihood, Paul feels he has become what the Chippewa call atchibai-- a walking shadow. Attempts are made on his life, the lodge is nearly burned to the ground, and people on the reservation behave oddly in his presence.The escalating circumstances of one summer -- and Paul's determination to survive them -- reveal the indomitable spirit that is his Chippewa heritage. Set in the breathtaking landscape of northwestern Minnesota,Don't Think Twiceis a haunting and memorable story about a man's struggle when pushed to the edge.

-Lavishly illustrated with over 320 color illustrations -Photographs of weaving methods, traditional dying methods and ceremonies -One of the world's great textile collections -Written by acclaimed writer Catherine Bourzat whose previous works includes books on India and Sri Lanka Philippe Fatin is a traveler, photographer and collector who has established a world-class collection of tribal textiles from southern China. These exquisitely colorful, hand-woven textiles are highly prized by collectors and here for the first time is the most extensive collection of garments collected from tribes across southern China including the Bazhai, Zhouxi, Xijiang and Gedong amongst others. The distinctive styles, colors and motifs from each are looked at in turn and the remarkable photographs allow the reader to appreciate the intricacy of each piece and the tradition prized by each tribe. Profusely illustrated with over 320 color illustrations the book not only studies the designs themselves but shows the ceremonies the textiles are made for, the traditional weaving methods employed as well other ornamentations such as headpieces and fastenings as well dying techniques and working methods.

Full color look at the history of traditional and ceremonial clothing in China.