Weaving a world of beauty like ancients
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, March 3, 2015
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With this principle technique, the formation of the pattern is based solely on changes in weaving the weft threads. Silk tapestry can be appreciated on both sides. And since the various adjoining colors in the weft are separate, there will be a slim gap along the edges of the forms, which is why tapestry is also known as "carved silk."
For many centuries, the imperial court had a monopoly on Kesi weaving. In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties, great amounts of royal textiles were Kesi embroideries. Especially in the Ming era, Kesi clothes were exclusive to the royal family, removed from public use.
"Hence, when talking about traditional crafts in China, Kesi is hardly known by Chinese people," Wang says. "Even the locals in Suzhou have no idea of it."
The craft of Kesi prevailed in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) when it was used to make replicas of paintings and calligraphy works. During this time, the craft was upgraded from daily commodity to work of art, according to Wang.
At his workshop in Suzhou, people can see the works that resemble tapestries from the Song Dynasty. Woven against light ochre background, one tapestry on display is the branch of a flowering peach tree, with some blossoms open while a dove is resting on the branch, portraying an intimate and quite realistic-looking scene from nature. Traces of ink have been added to the outlines.
"Animal and plant were the most common motifs for Kesi artwork, especially in the Song Dynasty with an association of good fortune," Wang says.
Realistic paintings are more commonly used than ink paintings as the basis of Kesi tapestries, because they are easier to weave due to realistic paintings' clearer strokes and lines and delineation of colors.
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