Song Brocade, one of China's traditional silk crafts, is also known as 'Suzhou Song Brocade' due to its main production area in Suzhou. Renowned for its splendid colors, exquisite patterns, and soft texture, Song Brocade is hailed as the 'Crown of Brocades' alongside Nanjing Yun Brocade, Sichuan Shu Brocade, and Guangxi Zhuang Brocade, forming the four famous brocades of China. Originating in the late Song Dynasty (around the 11th century AD), Song Brocade includes heavy brocade and fine brocade (collectively known as large brocade), as well as box brocade and small brocade. Heavy brocade, used for palace and hall decoration, has a thick texture. Fine brocade, the most representative type, has a moderate thickness and is widely employed in clothing and framing.
The Usage of Song Brocade:
Song Brocade not only possesses considerable appreciation and collectible value but also addresses a practicality issue that other silk handicrafts struggle to achieve. Typically, art pieces are delicately displayed in frames, similar to traditional paintings, limiting their practicality. However, Song Brocade's craftsmanship ensures its versatility, as it has a robust texture that can withstand various uses and can be repeatedly washed.
The practicality of Song Brocade is remarkable, featuring a soft and durable texture, exquisite patterns, wear resistance, and the ability to withstand repeated washing. Combining traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetic concepts, UpJiuKai has successfully innovatively applied Song Brocade to a wide range of fields, including bags, clothing, home textiles, and crafts. This allows Song Brocade, originally reserved for framing paintings, to truly enter the homes of ordinary people.
Craftsmanship Features:
The production process of Song Brocade is intricate, characterized by the simultaneous display of warp and weft threads.
The dyeing process requires the use of pure natural dyes. The silk is dyed according to the pattern's requirements before entering the weaving process. The selection of dyes is highly stringent, mostly using plant-based dyes and some mineral dyes, all hand-dyed.
Song Brocade patterns typically have a geometric framework filled with floral designs, auspicious grass, or patterns symbolizing the Eight Treasures, Eight Immortals, or Eight Auspicious Symbols.
Identification Method:
There is a straightforward method to distinguish the authenticity of Kesi and Song Brocade. The patterns should exhibit a strong sense of layering visually but feel smooth to the touch, without any unevenness. For premium quality, observe several aspects:
- Examine the overall density of the work; finer craftsmanship results in a more intricate pattern.
- Check whether the color patterns appear distorted.
- Carefully observe the gradual transitions in color; high-quality pieces have natural and subtle color progressions.
- Assess the thickness of the silk threads; finer threads indicate a superior piece.
