The craftsmanship of Nanjing Yunjin brocade continues the tradition of royal weaving in China and stands as the highest level of Chinese brocade weaving. Two craftspeople operate the upper and lower parts of a large, complicated loom with core techniques like ‘pass the warp’ and ‘split the weft’. They use fine materials such as silk, gold and peacock feather yarn to produce dragon robes and other gorgeous textiles. The craftsmanship of Nanjing Yunjin brocade is a complete system and bears witness to extraordinary human creativity. Today, the Nanjing Yunjin brocade, named for its cloud-like splendour (cloud has the same pronunciation as Yun in Chinese), remains a classic of traditional Chinese weaving techniques. It is used in high-end attire and souvenirs and cherished by the people.

Translator: SHEN Ruixuan

Reviewer: PAN Wenrui