The Roots of Asian Weaving: The He Haiyan collection of textiles and looms from Southwest China

This ground-breaking book documents the weaving traditions and textiles of one of Asia’s most ethnically diverse areas, placing them in a regional context. Based on more than a decade of first-hand study in the field, the authors record the traditions of Miao, Yao, Buyi, Dong, Zhuang, Maonan, Dai and Li weavers from Guizhou to Hainan Island. They describe the looms and techniques of these groups, including diagrams, descriptions and photographs of the weaving processes and woven structures. Each tradition is illustrated with outstanding examples of textiles, drawn from the He Haiyan collection in Beijing, including many 19th century examples.The authors present a novel analysis of loom technology across the Asian mainland, using techniques derived from linguistics and biology. They use these to chart the evolutionary history of looms in Asia, demonstrating that all the major traditions are related in spite of their apparent diversity. The results have far-reaching implications, for example shedding light on the development of the Chinese Drawloom and showing how key patterning features were derived from Tai-Kadai looms.The book is a visual delight as well as a resource for scholars, collectors and curators. The fieldwork in this book is a primary, while the looms and techniques will be essential reading for those interested in weaving and textile history, as well as contemporary weavers and designers wishing to learn how to reproduce traditional patterns and methods. The account of the development and links between weaving cultures will be a revelation for those interested in cultural evolution and the diversity of mankind.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preliminary notes Part I: Background Introduction 3 Chapter 1: Cultural and historical context 8 Chapter 2: Textiles and looms in ancient Chinese culture 20 Chapter 3: An introduction to the looms and brocades of Southwest China 46 Part II: Field Research Chapter 4: The Miao-Yao peoples 4.1 The Miao 56 Hand insertion of supplementary wefts 4.2 Guangxi Antai area 594.3 Guizhou Panxian area 704.4 Guizhou Zhaoxing area 784.5 Guizhou Zhouxi area 88 Hand insertion of supplementary wefts aided by tubes & layers 4.6 Guizhou Bakai area 964.7 Guizhou Geyi area 1064.8 Guizhou Huishui area 1224.9 Guizhou Shidong area 1324.10 Guizhou Huangping area 1424.11 Guizhou Liuhe area 1444.12 Guizhou Biasha area 1454.13 Guizhou Qiandongnan area 1464.14 Guizhou Rongjiang area 1484.15 Guizhou Bijie area 1494.16 Guizhou Songtao area 1504.17 The Yao 1544.18 Guangxi Longji area (‘Hong Yao’) 1564.19 Hunan Jianghua area 1644.20 Guangxi Jinxiu area 1744.21 Guangxi Bama area 178 Chapter 5: The Daic peoples5.1 Introduction 1805.2 A note about Daic complex pattern heddles 1825.3 The Li 1865.4 Hainan Donghezhen (Meifu Li) 1925.5 Hainan Wuzhishan (Qi Li) 2005.6 Ha Li 2045.7 Run Li 2125.8 The Buyi 2165.9 Guizhou Libo area 2185.10 Guizhou Xingyi area 2325.11 Guizhou Changshun area 2445.12 Guizhou Qiannan area 2525.13 The Dong 2585.14 Hunan Tongdao area 2605.15 Guizhou Bazhai area 2725.16 Guizhou Liping area 2825.17 The Maonan 2925.18 Guangxi Huanjiang area 2945.19 The Mulao, Guangxi Huanjiang area 3095.20 The Zhuang 3125.21 Guangxi Binyang area 3145.22 Guangxi Jingxi area 3285.23 Guangxi Napo area 3375.24 Yunnan Funing area 3465.25 Yunnan Wenshan area 3505.26 Zhuang Qiubei area 3565.27 Zhuang Baise area 3585.28 The Dai 3605.29 Yunnan Yingjiang area 3625.30 South Yunnan area 368Chapter 6: The Sinitic peoples6.1 The Tujia 3726.2 Hunan Longshan area 374 Part III: The evolution of the Asian loom7.1 Introduction 4007.2 Methods and results 4017.3 Loom evolution: a narrative 4067.4 Loom evolution: a geographic model 4187.5 The Chinese drawloom 422 Appendices1. The Rhapsody on Women Weaving 4282. Minority textiles as tribute to the Chinese court 4303. Traditional natural dyes and fibres 4324. Myths and deities related to weaving 4385. Phylogenetic methods and data 439 Glossaries of loom and weaving terms 450 Bibliography 458 Index 463 Read more