Replicas of a famous Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) brocade piece
called Wu Xing Chu Dong Fang Li Zhong Guo went on sale in
Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chengdu on December 18.
They are available from Beijing Arts and Crafts Mansion,
Shanghai Chenghuang Temple Zhenguan Hall, Shenzhen Jinxiu Zhonghua
and Chengdu Jinguan Jewelry Supermarket.
In 1995, a Sino-Japanese joint archaeological team unearthed the
original piece inscribed with the phrase Wu Xing Chu Dong Fang
Li Zhong Guo, which means "it is a favorable time for the
Central Plains when Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn appear
in the eastern sky at the same time."
It was found at the ancient kings' tombs of Jingjue Kingdom at
Niya in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and is the only brocade to
be designated a State first-class cultural relic.
The colors of the brocade are still bright after thousands of
years. Woven on it are popular Han Dynasty decorations such as
birds, animals, the sun and moon, together with the inscription's
Chinese characters.
It has been identified by Suzhou Silk Museum and other
institutes as a Shu brocade from Sichuan Province in southwest
China, dating back to the Han and Jin (265 - 420) dynasties.
Sichuan is the cradle of Shu brocade-making and preserving and
developing the skills involved has become a focus for brocade
devotees.
Aware of the market potential of the brocade, Sichuan Shujing
Cultural Communication Company and Chengdu Shu Brocade Handicraft
Company began to replicate it early this year and finished at the
end of June.
With a limited edition of 300 put on sale simultaneously in the
four cities, the two companies aim to better develop the Shu
brocade market and make more people aware of the traditional skills
involved.
The two firms said they aim to produce new replicas of other
pieces around the end of the year.
(China.org.cn by Yuan Fang December 25, 2005)?