The history of the world’s most luxurious fabric, from ancient China to the present day.
Silk is a fine, smooth material produced from the cocoons - soft protective shells - that are made by mulberry silkworms. Legend has it that it was Lei Tzu, wife of the Yellow Emperor, ruler of China in about 3000 BC, who discovered silkworms. While it is unknown just how much of this is true, it is certainly known that silk cultivation has existed in China for several millennia.
Originally, silkworm farming was solely restricted to women, and it was they who were responsible for the growing, harvesting and weaving. Silk quickly grew into a symbol of status, and originally, only royalty were entitled to have clothes made of silk. The rules were gradually relaxed over the years until finally during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), even peasants, the lowest caste, were also entitled to wear silk. Sometime during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), silk was so prized that it was also used as a unit of currency. Government officials were paid their salary in silk, and farmers paid their taxes in grain and silk. Silk was also used as diplomatic gifts by the emperor. Fishing lines, bowstrings, musical instruments and paper were all made using silk.
Demand for this exotic fabric eventually created the lucrative trade route now known as the Silk Road, taking silk westward and bringing gold, silver and wool to the East. It was named the Silk Road after its most precious commodity, which was considered to be worth more than gold.
With the mulberry silkworm being native to China, the country was the world’s sole producer of silk for many hundreds of years. The secret of silk-making eventually reached the rest of the world via the Byzantine Empire, which ruled over the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East during the period 330-1453 AD. In the seventh century, the Arabs conquered Persia, capturing their magnificent silks in the process. Silk production thus spread through Africa, Sicily and Spain as the Arabs swept through these lands.
The nineteenth century and industrialization saw the downfall of the European silk industry. Cheaper Japanese silk, trade in which was greatly facilitated by the opening of the Suez Canal, was one of the many factors driving the trend. Then in the twentieth century, new manmade fibers, such as nylon, started to be used in what had traditionally been silk products, such as stockings and parachutes. Japan was to remain the world’s biggest producer of raw silk, and practically the only major exporter of raw silk, until the 1970s. However, in more recent decades, China has gradually recaptured its position as the world’s biggest producer and exporter of raw silk and silk yarn.
21. According to the legend, where were silkworms first discovered?
22. How long has silk been used in China?
23. Who were allowed to wear silk before the Qing Dynasty?
24. When was silk used as a unit of currency in China?
25. The word “lucrative” in paragraph 3 could be best replaced by_______.
26. Which commodity was once considered more precious than gold?
27. Merchants used the Silk Road to take silk westward and bring back_______.
28. According to the text, what happened in the seventh century?
29. According to the text, what contributed to the decline of European silk industry in the nineteenth century?
30. In the last paragraph, the author mentions stockings and parachutes as an example of_______.
