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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)