Complete Collection of Chinese Embroidery and Textile Clothing. 1 Weaving and Dyeing Volume

Author: Compiled by the Editorial Department
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The culture of the Chinese nation, in terms of historical length, has a history of over five thousand years, which is well-known to both Chinese and foreign people. In terms of geographical coverage, it spans several hundred thousand square kilometers, also seen by both Chinese and foreign people. If we consider its constituent elements, however, fewer people may be familiar with them. Whether studying the history of Chinese culture or appreciating the artworks it has produced, one cannot help but be amazed by its brilliance, richness, and overwhelming scope. If we explore the reasons behind this, we would understand that it could never have been created solely by a single era, region, or ethnic group. China is a multi-ethnic country, where the various ethnic groups have been interacting and integrating with each other since ancient times, resulting in the extraordinary and splendid culture and achievements we see today. There are many ancient civilizations that emerged thousands of years ago in world history, but many of them no longer exist today or have experienced interruptions in their continuity. In contrast, Chinese history has endured for thousands of years without interruption, and even the dates of certain events recorded in ancient historical texts can be matched with inscriptions on unearthed artifacts. Throughout the long history of China, although there have been short periods when certain ethnic groups briefly held power, they were all part of the larger Chinese nation and did not sever the tradition of Chinese culture. Therefore, Chinese culture is a continuous culture that has endured for over five thousand years, truly deserving of the title.
Several years ago, the Central Propaganda Department organized numerous experts in culture and cultural relic work to compile the "Complete Collection of Chinese Art," consisting of sixty volumes. Since its publication, readers have been greatly enlightened, and these sixty volumes have played a role in inspiring and educating the people that no existing museum or academic work on the history of culture and art can achieve. The fact is simple: no museum or academic work on this subject can simultaneously possess these exhibits and the visual illustrations of the artifacts. Anyone who has read or studied such books knows that reading thousands of words of text is not as effective as seeing the actual artifacts. A quick glance at these images is far more valuable than reading a book for years.
Now, with the development of the economy, our country's cultural and educational sectors are continuously expanding and improving. The collection and reprinting of historical and literary books, as well as their dissemination from various perspectives, have achieved significant effects in popularization and enhancement. The field of art also cannot afford to lag behind in expansion and enrichment. Since the original sixty volumes could not fully encompass representative works from all eras and newly discovered artifacts needed to be supplemented, some outstanding modern and contemporary works reflecting new developments in Chinese culture and art that had not yet been selected were also included. Thus, the leadership has once again mobilized collective efforts to expand the previous sixty volumes several times over, compiling the "Categorized Complete Collection of Chinese Art," which is expected to consist of over three hundred volumes.
In this newly compiled monumental work, while the types of art remain largely unchanged, the focus is not just on increasing the quantity but on maximizing the inclusion of representative masterpieces. The masterpieces of various arts collected in this book are primarily from public and private collections within China, with a selection of the most important and representative artifacts from abroad also included. However, recent discoveries and newly unearthed artifacts have not yet been included due to the processes of editing and printing and will be covered in future supplements.
Although the completion of this monumental work brings us great satisfaction, in terms of the entirety of Chinese art, there is still a long way to go. We hope that readers of this book, especially the broad experts worldwide, will view it as a concise introduction to the art portion of Chinese culture, which is more in line with reality.
Now, we, the entire staff, jointly extend our sincere gratitude to the readers for their corrections and suggestions!
The "Complete Collection of Chinese Textiles and Clothing" in the "Categorized Complete Collection of Chinese Art" includes one volume on weaving and dyeing, one volume on embroidery, two volumes on clothing through the ages, and two volumes on ethnic minority clothing. Scope of Selection: The first four volumes cover weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and clothing from the Shang Dynasty, Western Zhou Dynasty, the old China period, the Han and Jin dynasties, the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties, the Song Dynasty, the Liao Dynasty, the Jin Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, and the Qing Dynasty. The last two volumes include the traditional clothing of fifty-five ethnic minorities. All archaeological finds and inherited artifacts with artistic value and relatively complete patterns are carefully selected and included. At the same time, attention is paid to different regions, varieties, and patterns. The selected collections in the first four volumes are arranged in chronological order, by category, and by pattern form. The last two volumes are arranged by region and ethnicity. Each volume begins with a corresponding monograph providing an overview. Each item is accompanied by a description for reference by researchers.