Pengpai News reporter Li Mei Organizes
Fabrics and clothing have always been a concrete manifestation of people's pursuit of a better life and taste. Since ancient times, dyeing and weaving technology has been affected by different geographical environment, social economy, trade exchanges, people's customs, etc., and has presented a rich and diverse appearance. Asia has a vast territory and diverse fabric culture: Indonesian 's "Songji" and "Ika" are the most distinctive and precious fabrics of Sumatra and Bali ; Chinese silk fabrics are sold overseas, and the "Silk Road" crosses the Eurasian continent; Persian has been famous all over the world for brocades and wool carpets since ancient times. Many fabric designs that meet Persian tastes are fine and complex and have bright colors...
The Paper learned that Taipei Palace Museum's southern campus "Asian Fabric Exhibition" ushered in a new exhibition. The exhibition selected the essence of fabrics in various regions of the hospital, presenting the diverse Asian culture.
fabric, composed of fibers, is an important material for slapping clothing. Before the Industrial Revolution, weaving and embroidery were mostly carried out at home, and most modern people no longer had to bow down to the loom, and fabrics became the most familiar and unfamiliar material for the world.
Ancient Asia, even the fabrics before the sanctions, could mostly identify the information such as culture, religion, gender or even occupation that they contained, through the differences in spinning, dyeing, or the characteristics of the patterns, just like decoding. What’s more interesting is that across time and space and regional aesthetics, ancient fashion spreads far faster than we imagined, because fascinating things are always popular. China was once famous for weaving bright silk, which was as precious as gold. The unparalleled silk quality is a symbol of East Asian civilization; South Asia and India produced the unique painted and dyed cotton cloth, which not only became popular in the world, but also prompted the world-wide cotton textile revolution. These trends that have spanned regions have certainly driven not only business opportunities, but also cultural influence. In Indonesia, a country of islands that stretches thousands of miles between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, cultures from all directions gather and flow everywhere, and they spread out again when the time comes.
It is reported that the exhibition exhibited in the Taipei Palace Museum southern campus is divided into four units. The "Focus Exhibition" comprehensively analyzes the characteristics of classic fabrics and further interprets its cultural implications; "Understanding Fabrics" deconstructs the dyeing and weaving process of fabrics from the aspects of fiber material , weaving and dyeing techniques, decorative patterns, clothing tailoring, etc., so that the fabric appreciation is easier to understand; "Regional Style" introduces exquisite fabrics and clothing from West Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and other places, and looks forward to experiencing cultural windows with different regional styles; "Wedding Dress" understands the customs and culture behind the clothing and people's wishes for a better life through the display of wedding dresses from all over Asia.
focus display
embroidery is the most famous and precious textile tradition in South Asia. Before the popularization of ready-to-wear, this craft has always been an important part of family handmade and family memory. Women from different generations of South Asia have passed on their family skills through stitches and threads, and at the same time, they have also sewed their current emotions and life into them.
Early 20th century Pokhari embroidery turban Punjab region (India today)
"Phulkari" (Phulkari) is the most dazzling traditional embroidery craft in Punjab. Punjab is located at the junction of India today and Pakistan . Traditionally, regardless of religion, women learn Pokali embroidery from their mothers, grandmothers or relatives and friends since childhood, and these embroidery will most likely become their dowry in the end. People will use it on important days such as weddings and festivals. The rectangular Pocaly embroidery in the picture above is mostly used as a female headscarf. The method of wearing is similar to a dupatta, which can be covered on the head and shoulders while surrounding the neck. The embroidery on the cotton headscarf uses bright silk threads such as yellow, white, red, royal blue, and magenta to set off the patterns. The embroidered composition surrounds the center of the flower, allowing you to see in all four directions, is a common layout method in South Asia.
According to reports, this type of pattern is made of Pokkari, which is closely related to life, also known as "Sainchi Phulkari".Using weaving embroidery as the main needle method, we embroider women's daily life and experiences, such as spinning, shopping, favorite jewelry, disputes and conflict scenes, popular circus performances in newspapers, and colonial officials from Britain, all of which are vivid embroidery and vividly displayed on cloth. The poultry raised by oneself, the vehicles and horses that come and go between the market, and various birds and animals and plants with auspicious meanings are also common embroidery elements.
Understanding fabric
What is fabric? How are they made? This unit displays materials, techniques, tailoring, patterns, etc., allowing the audience to re-understand the fabrics that are everywhere in life.
18th century Cotton painted and dyed cloth India Kromandel Coast
cotton is a material that is both comfortable and breathable. Since ancient times, South Asia and India have been the main production area of cotton textiles in the world. Indian cotton is known for its smoothness and lightness, and painted and dyed cotton is an important product that sells hot all over the world. Cotton cloth is different from linen , wool and silk, and it is more resistant to washing. India's painted and dyed cotton cloth uses its unique color fixation and dyeing technology to improve the color fastness of and make it less likely to fade. At the end of the fifteenth century, when we sailed directly from Portugal to India, there was no longer a need to trade in Turkey or Arab , and we could directly purchase Indian cotton cloth of various colors. Europe's enthusiasm for this fabric was widely used in home and fashion design, reaching its peak in the late 17th century, and at the same time oppressing the survival of the local traditional textile industry. About the first half of the 18th century, various places promulgated a series of laws prohibiting the import of Indian painted and dyed cotton cloth, but it still could not stop people's love for it. Whether it is the gradual red or blue, the bright purple, yellow and green, it makes Europeans from the 16th to 18th centuries dazzling. This painted cotton cloth collected in the Palace Museum in Taipei is produced in India for sale in Europe and can be used as a robe or dress fabric for women. Exquisite flowers are designed on white cotton cloth, with their long and tangled stems, outlining the flower in dark colors and dyeing them with charming red and purple tones.
The headscarf for women in gold weaving ceremony in the middle of the 19th century Indonesian West Sumatra (Minanjiabaoren)
The precious headscarf of gold weaving can be folded into a hat with a buffalo horn, which is worn by women in celebrations. It is an important traditional clothing of Minanjiabaoren, an indigenous native of the western highlands of Sumatra. The long headscarf is made of red silk threads as warp and multi-colored silk threads such as red, yellow, and gray as wefts. For the dark blue part in the middle, thicker cotton thread is used to make it more able to withstand the pressure of frequent folding and improve durability. The patterns on the headscarf are mainly highlighted by gold lines, and the decorative bands are arranged parallel to both ends of the long scarf. The representative patterns include: the image is taken from "half-shaped peanuts" (balah kacang), and the overlapping combination of continuous octagonal , meaning that as a good Minan, the sharing should be distributed fairly and honestly about transactions and transactions; and the pattern called "Itiak pulang patang" is a very ancient pattern. It is a group of ducks in line in order and rarely deviates from their routes. To compare with the good Minan, one should follow traditional customs and laws (Adat). The pattern of "caterpillar crawling" (ulek tantadu) also has a similar meaning. These are common pattern themes on traditional fabrics of Minan Jiabao.
regional style
Asia has a vast territory and diverse fabric culture. This unit selects fabrics and clothing from various regions in West Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and other regions, presenting the dressing cultural styles of different regions.
Western Asia Iran (Persia)
Persia is the name of many dynasties in ancient Iran and the main name for Iran before 1935. This place has been famous for its brocade and wool blankets since ancient times. After the seventeenth century, the Persian market purchased a large amount of painted and dyed cotton cloth from India. This type of fabric design meets Persian taste, with fine and complex patterns and bright hair colors. After the 18th century, it was popular in Persia to make tops with this type of fabric, and also make various home decorations to enrich life.Although Iran mainly believes in Islam , there are still a few Zoroastrian believers living here. Their clothes are different from those of other believers. The embroidery craftsmanship on women's clothes is delicate and cute. On the other hand, Persian Zoroastrian believers who live on the northwest shore of India have been integrated into India, but the decoration design still shows the influence of faith and global trade.
1842-1843 Wedding women's embroidered turban Iran (Zoroastrian)
The wedding women's embroidered turban exhibited this time is a typical Zoroastrian wedding embroidered turban. It is generally about three sizes long and is embroidered with a bunch of flowers in the center, surrounded by fish patterns, Persian characters, peacock patterns and paisley patterns (or flower and tree patterns). When worn, the ball-shaped pattern will be located on the chest and become the focus of vision, while the tassels at both ends will hang elegantly behind the body, showing the characteristics of Zoroastrian women's clothing at that time. The fish and peacock on the long scarf are symbols of prosperity or permanence, and are also connected to the magic of Zoroastrian . The text in it is excerpted from the poem by Hafez, the most famous Persian lyric poet, , Hafez (c. 1315-1390), which praises the unparalleled beauty of a woman and describes the conquered heart of the admirer. The end of the sentence is left with "made by James Heid's embroidery workshop" and the Islamic calendar "1258" written in Arabic numerals. Poetry is the most brilliant literary heritage of Persia. Hafiz's works often deal with common themes between the world and the sacred - love and wine. His works are not only regarded as the pinnacle of Persian literature, but also have a profound influence. To this day, the general public can recite a few ancient poems they like almost casually.
The first half of the 19th century painted and dyed cotton hanging or floor mats on the southeastern coast of India, Mesulipodum (exported to the Iranian market)
Iran’s painted and dyed cotton Taihal is imported from India, and although Isfahan also produces similar products, it is not as good as Indian cotton. This painted and dyed cloth hanging is a product specially made in India for the Persian market, with production locations concentrated in Mesulipodum, southeastern coast of India. The patterns are mainly red and blue, like arched niche or arched buildings, as if they are leading to a palace or mosque. The gaps in the building are filled with fine and colorful floral patterns or paisley patterns. The fabric with dense overall decoration and detailed patterns faithfully reflects the passion of the Persians for patterns and decorations. The lintel of the building is consecrated with Arabic prayers, which is translated as "Praise the Supreme Allah and give praise to him." The red pattern on the upper left corner is printed with Persian: "Dye cloth made by Hajji - Akka Samad", "hajji" (hajji) originally means "the tourer", and is the honorific title of Muslims who visited Tianfang ( Mecca ). Although there is no further evidence that this is a prayer blanket, these features give us a clearer understanding of its users.
East Asia China
China has been famous for its rich silk since ancient times. The "Silk Road" across the Eurasian continent not only reflects the far-reaching influence of Chinese silk fabrics, but also forms a long-lasting oriental image. After the Ming Dynasty, the silk weaving industry was highly concentrated in the Jiangnan region, and from mulberry silkworm to weaving, they all went commercialization and specialization. The maturity of jacquard technology in the Ming and Qing dynasties made the patterns on luxurious silk more complex. The exquisite kesi and embroidery, the rich gold weaving and makeup are dazzling. The patterns rich in auspicious meanings are a major feature of Ming and Qing fabrics. On the other hand, wool blankets and fur were an indispensable part of the Qing Dynasty's palace life. They were not only a holy product for keeping cold, but also represented the empire's control of resources and trade in the grasslands and borders, and at the same time demonstrated Manchurian cultural identity.
The middle of the Ming Dynasty, the blue ground woven golden lion pattern square supplement Chinese
"Fangpu" is a decoration for the official uniforms of the Ming and Qing dynasties to mark official titles on the chest and back. The styles of civil and military officers are birds and beasts, and different birds and beasts correspond to different official ranks. The types of official uniforms in ancient times vary according to the occasion. Official uniforms with tofuzi were woven. In the Ming Dynasty, they were made of "regular clothes", including group collar shirts, black hats, and tie belts. They were worn by officials for daily office work.This Ming Dynasty lion pattern square supplement is collected in the Palace Museum in Taipei, and is used by high-ranking military officers or princessessors in accordance with the etiquette system. A lion is outlined with woven gold on the dark blue silk fabric. It has thick eyebrows, flat nose, short curly mane, fluffy tail, and its majestic body is decorated with cloud-like fire patterns, looking back and staring at the distance with a bright look. Below the foreground is the river cliff and sea water, the sky is covered with flowing clouds and four-way Ruyi cloud patterns. The overall pattern layout is roughly the same as the styles of the military officer Lion in " Minghui Dian ". The size of in the Ming Dynasty was mostly larger than that in the Qing Dynasty, and was directly weaved and embroidered on the official uniforms, rather than being attached to the seams of nails. If you look closely at the edge of this patch, you can probably guess that the material you used to wear was dark flower satin with miscellaneous treasures and four-way Ruyi cloud patterns.
Ming Dynasty Boy holding lotus embroidery piece Chinese
Boy holding lotus or lotus leaves is a fabric decoration theme that was loved by the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The development of this pattern was initially probably related to the custom of women seeking children during the Chinese Valentine's Day in the Song Dynasty. Then it has the same theme as Baizi or infant dramas, and it has a symbol of happiness and happiness. On this white plain yarn, the colorful silk thread is used to embroider the red pattern, lively children, lotus flowers that are differently rolling, flowers and leaves that flip freely, butterflies and phoenix birds that travel between them, achieving a woven effect. Children wear colorful paddy pattern clothing, called " Baijia Clothes ". This kind of children's clothing with this fabric was more popular in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Like the Long Life Lock hanging on the child's neck, they convey the meaning of avoiding disasters and exorcising evil spirits and praying for the healthy growth of young children.
Southeast Asia Indonesia
Indonesia is the vastest island country in the world. The monsoon brings new cultural waves to the archipelago. Merchants, craftsmen and imported products bring exchanges of concepts, technology and material. After precipitation and integration, they are reflected on local fabrics and form their own unique structure. "Songji" (a kind of gold-weaving brocade) and "Ika" (a flower-displaying fabric that is dyed first and then woven later), are the most distinctive and precious fabrics in Sumatra and Bali, and are generally used as ceremonial clothing or ceremonial cloth. The fabrics in both places can be seen from India, China, , Middle East, or Europe in terms of materials, techniques or decorative elements. The Songji and Ika fabrics of different styles can be distinguished from ethnic groups or beliefs, but they can be regarded as symbols of power and sometimes have the sacredness of protecting individuals and communities.
The first half of the 20th century The decoration for the ceremonial ceremony of Lingxin Indonesia Bali Denganan Village
Denganan Village in the eastern part of Bali is one of the few places in the world that weave double ikats outside India and Japan. This type of fabric is called "geringsing", which is generally regarded as a sacred ritual cloth. Not only do the villagers believe that "geingsingsings" will protect the wearer from disasters and pain, but also regard it as a sacred object in all districts of Bali, which believe in Hinduism , and plays an important role in rituals. Ge Lingxin is mainly a two-way Ika cotton fabric with red, brown and dark blue tones, with many wide styles and different lengths. The sidan pegat sidan pegat band is the narrowest type. The tassel-like edges are uncut, making the band form a ring. Men will wear it in sacrifices and exorcism rituals, hanging it around their necks like necklaces, and knots the decorative bands hanging in front of them. The knots will probably fall on their waists and abdomen, believing that they have powerful protection and evil-proof functions. The same type of different colors of Ge Lingxin decorative bands, cut the tassel-like edges, can be used as anteng for girls to wear during the ceremony.
19th century to the early 20th century gold weaving ceremony with shoulder cloth Indonesia South Sumatra Palembang ( Malay )
is located in eastern South Sumatra Palembang . It is one of the oldest cities in Southeast Asia and is also an important port and trade center. The traditional dresses of the Malays in Palembang are often made of "songket" as fabrics. The woven fabrics are often regarded as symbols of wealth and power. Most gold and silver threads are imported from China. High-quality gold threads can ensure that the woven gold brocade is comfortable and soft. Shoulder cloth is usually a long cloth that can be folded in half on the shoulder from a short side as decoration.This type of silk-woven gold-woven Songji shoulder cloth has almost filled the cloth surface, so it is also called kain songket lepus. The weaving pattern design is roughly divided into a central rectangle and two ends, with a diamond pattern in the center. Eight petal patterns and eight-pointed stars and patterns can be seen at both ends and the edges of the cloth. It is a common theme with Islamic style. The middle of various patterns is decorated with "small shuttle back weft" method, and is decorated with multiple colorful lines. Patterns like mountain shapes or serrated teeth, called bamboo shoot patterns, are common decorative elements in Southeast Asia and have the meaning of growth and reproduction.
South Asia Punjab region (now Pakistan, India)
"Phulkari" is the most famous traditional embroidery craft in the Punjab region (now Pakistan, India). Punjab is located at the junction of India and Pakistan today. Before the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, almost all local women, regardless of their religion, would make and wear Pokhali embroidery products, usually as a headscarf, covering their shoulders and heads. It symbolizes the material wealth of women, and also reflects the rich cultural and religious traditions of the region. The word "Phulkari" comes from Hindi , Punjabi and Urdu , which is translated as flower craft. Different types of Pokali also have their own names, such as: "original Pokali" mainly based on the life scenes of characters; "Garden Pokali" mainly embroidered geometric patterns; "white Pokali" used for older women or widows with white background and red embroidery thread; or specifically refer to the "Gate to the God Realm" that may be related to religious activities, etc.
19th century Pokhali embroidery turban Punjab region (Pakistan today)
The characteristic of "Pokhali" embroidery is to use various bright and untwisted silk threads called "pat", which women generally buy from nomad merchants these expensive imported silk threads. The cotton cloth as the base cloth is called khaddar, which is made of hand-woven and dyed locally. Its maker and user are both women and are mostly used to wear it, such as headdresses and shawls. There are many types of "Pokari". For example, this piece is made of white cotton as the base and is paired with red silk embroidered geometric patterns, called "Thirma phulkari", and this color combination implies that its user is an elderly woman or widow. The geometric pattern style of a small squid is generally assumed to imitate the jagged pattern outline on the Central Asian Ika fabric (ikat).
Wedding dress
Indonesian Central Java traditional wedding dress wears typical batik skirt cloth, paired with a black gold thread embroidered jacket, becoming the basic form. The batik sabre is mainly made of dark blue and brown. The patterns include Lingshan, flames, ships, jade thrones, treasures, golden-winged bird wings (garuda), etc., which symbolize the germination of the Semen Romo. It was originally a special pattern for the Central Java royal family, but now it has become the most distinctive traditional celebration pattern for Indonesian batik. A black velvet jacket, the collar, cuffs and hem are embroidered with gold thread to create complex floral patterns. Comparing the early illustrations, wearing a jacket is an influential way that you can’t just wear it on your shoulders when you are not exposed. Wedding clothing also witnesses the fusion of tradition and foreign culture. Wearing gorgeous hats, hairpins, and embroidered shoes on the head, the luxurious clothing shows the grandeur of wedding etiquette and blessings for the newlyweds' marriage life.
At the exhibition, the organizer also combined the collection of cultural relics from the Forbidden City in Taipei and forward-looking digital technology to create a digital experience space for Asian fabrics. The audience can transform into professionals in the "Fabric Workshop" to create beautiful and classic fabrics, or stand in front of the "Asian Dressing Mirror" and pair and disguise with the fabric relics from the Forbidden City in Taipei to explore the unique charm of Asian fabrics.
This exhibition will last until September 11.
(This article is compiled from the official website of the Palace Museum in Taipei and related fabric historical materials.)
Editor-in-chief: Gu Weihua
Proofreading: Xu Yijia
