What is silk brocade？

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Brocade is a kind of silk fabrics woven with raised patterns resembling embroidery.It has a unique look，colorfully luxurious，and is amazingly soft to the skin.Handmade brocade evolved over more than 20 centuries，but at present，it has given way to the modern textile industry.It is manufactured under automatic control，using a jacquared loom equipped with electronic devices.Brocade factoriesspecialize in making fabrics，which can be used for traditional products or modern vests，skirts or jackets.There are four local-styled brocades，which are known across the country.They include Shu Brocade from Sichuan Province，YunBrocade from Nanjing，Song Brocade from Suzhou and Zhuang Brocade from the Guangxi Autonomous Region.

How do these four Chinese local brocades differ？

Yun Brocade.Yun means“cloud”，and this style looks like colorful clouds due to the high-quality of silk and exquisite skill.From the Yuan to the Ming dynasties，Yun Brocade was mostly used for imperial garments.

Song，or Suzhou Brocade.This style disappeared at the end of the Ming Dynasty，but soon revived at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty.Being characterized by harmonious colors and geometrical patterns，it falls into large and small types according to size.The large brocade，also called Heavy Brocade，is mainly used to mount pictures；the Small Brocade is used to decorate small articles.

Zhuang Brocade of the Zhuang ethnic nationality.Local articles，including quilt covers，tablecloths，and scarfs，are woven by weaving machine，and its patterns include figures，flora and fauna and geometrical patterns.

Shu Brocade of Sichuan Province.Towards the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty，adevice was invented in Sichuan to weave raised designs on fine silk.This new technique greatly enhanced the quality of silk products，and Shu Brocade became an important article of tribute to the imperial court.In the Tang Dynasty，it was produced with a large number of marvelous patterns.There were designs lined with flowers，the red lion and phoenix，and pairs of pheasants or sheep or other animals that highlighted the central feature.At that time only high officials and nobles lords could afford the brocade.