Chinese Silk Museum

Here's Sue, looking chipper with her new hairdo, and after her morning coffee, on the way to the Silk Museum this morning.  Of course China, and especially Hangzhou, is known for its silk production and fine silk crafts, so a visit to the Silk Museum was definitely in order!

From 1100 to 771 BC, the Chinese people were unique in the world in understanding sericulture and silk production.  In the 6th to 5th centuries BC, trade caravans of ancient nomadic tribes crossed the deserts and wilderness of Eurasia bringing Chinese silk to the west; their route eventually named the Silk Road by a German cartographer.

Here are some samples of silk weaving we saw; some were over 1800 years old!

 

This woman was weaving a beautiful silk tapestry.  She had a strong light and good glasses - but still I think it would make my eyes go buggy!

... the individual strands of silk that are being woven on this woman's loom.  Incredibly fine strands like fishing line!

Jack, Sue and Sophie, watching the woman weave a silk tapestry on this huge loom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This woman was demonstrating the spinning of silk threads.

 

In the next room, models were showing off the various silk products.  Guess what - you could buy their silk products, right there in their gift shop!

Next it was time to go outside to burn off a little steam after being inside looking at exhibits.  It is a beautiful fall day today and everyone enjoyed being outside!

Of course, silk comes from the silkworm, which are cultivated in Mulberry trees, which we saw many examples of.  Sue and the boys are standing in front of some (lower right).

... a nice fishing pond on the grounds of the museum.

We ate a wonderful lunch of Indian food.  They had a pool table in the restaurant, so while Sophie, Sue and I ate, the boys played pool and had a grand time.  Then it was the boys turn to eat, so Sophie and I went outside for some photo ops!

... so here's Sophie, hamming it for the camera!

As you can see, she's as docile as usual!

In America we say "Cheese!".  In China they say "Shiedza!" which means eggplant.

Sophie, say "Eggplant!"