Complete Collection of Chinese Embroidery and Textile Clothing: Weaving and Dyeing Volume

Author: Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The culture of the Chinese nation, in terms of historical depth, has a history of over 5,000 years, a fact known to both Chinese and foreign individuals; in terms of geographical coverage, it spans hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, a sight witnessed by both Chinese and foreign people. However, if we consider its constituent elements, 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 marvel at its brilliance, richness, and overwhelming abundance. 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, and the interaction and integration among different ethnic groups have been ongoing since ancient times, resulting in the extraordinary cultural splendor 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 China's long history, although there have been short periods when certain ethnic groups held power, they were all part of the Chinese nation's extended family and did not sever the tradition of Chinese culture. Therefore, Chinese culture is a continuous culture spanning over 5,000 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 Fine Arts, a six-volume set. Since its publication, readers have been greatly enlightened, and these sixty volumes have played a role in inspiring and educating the public 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 actual artifacts. Anyone who has read or studied such books knows that reading thousands of words of text is no match for seeing the actual artifacts—how much more can one gain by browsing through these images at once? Isn’t it true that “seeing is better than reading a thousand books”?
Nowadays, as China's economy develops, its 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 remarkable effects in popularization and advancement. The field of fine arts should not be left behind in this expansion and enrichment. The original sixty volumes could not fully encompass representative works from all eras, and newly discovered cultural treasures also need to be added. Moreover, some outstanding works from the modern and contemporary periods that reflect new developments in Chinese culture and art have not yet been selected for inclusion. These should now be incorporated as well.
Thus, the leadership has once again mobilized collective efforts to expand the previous six volumes into several times their size, compiling the Categorized Complete Collection of Chinese Fine Arts, which is expected to consist of over three hundred volumes. While the types of art covered in this new compilation remain largely unchanged, the focus is not merely on increasing the quantity but on maximizing the inclusion of representative masterpieces. The masterpieces of various arts collected in this work are primarily based on public and private holdings within China, with a selection of the most important and representative foreign collections also included. However, recent discoveries and newly unearthed artifacts have not yet been added due to the processes of editing and printing and will be included in future supplements.
Although the completion of this monumental work brings us great satisfaction, in terms of the entirety of fine arts within Chinese culture, there is still a long way to go. We hope that readers of this book, especially the broad community of experts worldwide, will view it as a concise introduction to the fine arts section of Chinese culture, which is more in line with reality.
Now, all of us in the editorial team sincerely hope that the will provide us with valuable feedback!
The Categorized Complete Collection of Chinese Fine Arts includes The Complete Collection of Chinese Textiles and Clothing, which comprises one volume on weaving and dyeing, one volume on embroidery, two volumes on historical clothing, and two volumes on ethnic minority clothing. Scope of Selection: The first four volumes cover textiles, dyeing, embroidery, and clothing from the Shang, Western Zhou, pre-modern China, Han-Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, while the last two volumes include the traditional clothing of fifty-five ethnic minorities. All archaeological finds and works with artistic value and relatively complete patterns are carefully selected for inclusion. At the same time, efforts are made to balance the representation of different regions, varieties, and patterns. The selected collections in the first four volumes are arranged in chronological order, by category, and by pattern type, while the last two volumes are organized by region and ethnicity. Each volume begins with a corresponding monograph providing an overview. Every piece of artwork is accompanied by a description for reference by researchers.